Category: Chefs and Sous Chefs

Book Review | “The Walking Fish” by Rachelle Burk & Kopel Burk A new #MGLit novel speaking directly to girls & boys who love science and the curious realms they can endeavour to explore!

Posted Tuesday, 5 May, 2015 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to review “The Walking Fish” by JKS Communications: A Literary Publicity Firm. JKS is the first publicity firm I started working with when I launched Jorie Loves A Story in August, 2013. I am honoured to continue to work with them now as a 2nd Year Book Blogger. I received my complimentary copy of The Walking Fish direct from JKS Communications in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Inspired to Read:

When I was first approached to read The Walking Fish it nearly felt like kismet to find science re-entering my life because I was the kind of girl who grew up in her local Science Center and ached for Summer because it meant she could spend more hours at the Center absorbing science through hands-on learning opportunities and field trips which were not available during regular school sessions. The beauty for me growing up at the Science Center is being in control of the ‘academics’ and ‘choices’ of which fields of study I could focus on without the added stress of worrying about ‘grades or homework’. You could simply go to the Center, enjoy your days, and get caught up in the joy of science without the hassles that regular school provides.

I thrived in this environment because having a curious mind was encouraging to the teachers, who loved it when we asked questions that challenged them in return to provide a plausible response. It was a mecca for science geeks – girls and boys together, whilst having a living ecosystem of sorts at our fingertips. We even had a resident boa constrictor I helped save when I was the only kid there who noticed Monty wasn’t in his cage but rather the latch on his environment was ‘unhooked’. We had resident tarantulas, an iguana I adopted, various snakes I gave a wide birth (outside of Monty, I was not keen on snakes!), and a lovely outdoor garden filled with footpath tiles and hidden nooks where you could enjoy the flowers.

I have been wanting to dig back into my readings of science, not just as an adult but to seek out titles that would stimulate a fascination for children within the realms of Children’s Lit. This branch of literature is quite dear to me, and I was thankful to be considered for a title I hope will inspire younger readers to get as excited as I had about science and the possibilities therein!

Rainbow Digital Clip Art Washi Tape made by The Paper Pegasus. Purchased on Etsy by Jorie and used with permission.

Book Review | “The Walking Fish” by Rachelle Burk & Kopel Burk A new #MGLit novel speaking directly to girls & boys who love science and the curious realms they can endeavour to explore!The Walking Fish
by Kopel Burk, Rachelle Burk
Source: Publicist via JKS Communications

A humorous, exciting tale of an ordinary girl who makes an extraordinary scientific discovery—a blind fish that walks.

When seventh-grader Alexis catches an unusual fish that looks like a living fossil, she sets off a frenzied scientific hunt for more of its kind. Alexis and her friend Darshan join the hunt, snorkeling, sounding the depths of Glacial Lake, even observing from a helicopter and exploring a cave. All the while, they fight to keep the selfish Dr. Mertz from claiming the discovery all for himself. When Alexis follows one final hunch, she risks her life and almost loses her friend. This is a scientific adventure not to be missed.

With great settings and vivid characters, lively and at times hilarious, this book presents the adventure of science in a way that’s sure to appeal to girls and boys in grades 4-7.

Genres: Children's Literature, Science, Middle Grade



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 978-0990782933

Published by Tumblehome Learning

on 1st April, 2015

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 192

Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards Badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.Published by: Tumblehome Learning (@TumblehomeLearn)

Available Formats: Trade Paperback, Hardback

Converse via: #WalkingFishBook & #RachelleBurk

OR  #MGFiction, #MGLit, #KidsLit or #MiddleGrade

About Kopel Burk

Kopel Burk is a retired physician who writes, sculpts, and remains active on the bioethics committee at his hospital. He conceived the idea for Walking Fish over 40 years ago, when he told early versions of the story to his young children, nieces and nephews. His co-author is one of those nieces. At 86, this is his first book.

About Rachelle Burk

Rachelle Burk is a children’s author, social worker, clown, and storyteller. She writes fiction and nonfiction for children, including books, magazine pieces, and poetry. Rachelle scuba dives, explores caves, and volunteers on a rescue squad. With her background as a children’s entertainer, she’s a hit in classroom visits.

Read More

Divider

Posted Tuesday, 5 May, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Aquaculture, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Review (non-blog tour), Bookish Films, Chefs and Sous Chefs, Childhood Friendship, Children's Literature, Clever Turns of Phrase, Coming-Of Age, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Cookery, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Documentary on Topic or Subject, Ecology, Environmental Activism, Environmental Conscience, Environmental Science, Equality In Literature, Father-Daughter Relationships, Fishing, GeoPhysical History, Green-Minded Social Awareness, Hard Science Fiction, History, Indie Author, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Juvenile Fiction, Literature of India, Meteorology, Middle Grade Novel, Modern Day, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Philosophical Intuitiveness, Realistic Fiction, Science, Science Fiction, Social Change, Sustainability & Ecological Preservation, The Natural World

Book Review | “100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go” by Marcia DeSanctis | a travelogue of insight to a sensory awareness of France as one woman connect’s to the country’s internal heart

Posted Thursday, 6 November, 2014 by jorielov , , 7 Comments

Parajunkee Designs

100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go by Marcia DeSanctis

Published By: Travelers’ Tales (@travelerstales)

Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Converse via: #100PlacesInFrance & #FranceBT

Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a tour stop on the “100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go” virtual book tour through France Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the publisher Travelers’ Tales, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Book Review | “100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go” by Marcia DeSanctis | a travelogue of insight to a sensory awareness of France as one woman connect’s to the country’s internal heart100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go

Told in a series of stylish, original essays, 100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go  is for the serious Francophile, for the woman dreaming of a trip to Paris, and for those who love crisp stories well-told. Like all great travel writing, this volume goes beyond the guidebook and offers insight not only about where to go but why to go there. Combining advice, memoir and meditations on the glories of traveling through France, this book is the must-have in your carry-on when flying to Paris.

Award-winning writer Marcia DeSanctis draws on years of travels and living in France to lead you through vineyards, architectural treasures, fabled gardens and contemplative hikes from Biarritz to Deauville, Antibes to the French Alps. These 100 entries capture art, history, food, fresh air and style and along the way, she tells the stories of fascinating women who changed the country’s destiny. Ride a white horse in the Camargue, find Paris’ hidden museums, try thalassotherapy in St. Malo, and buy raspberries at Nice’s Cour Saleya market. From sexy to literary, spiritual to simply gorgeous, 100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go  is an indispensable companion for the smart and curious traveler to France.


Places to find the book:

on 9th September, 2014

Format: Paperback

Pages: 380

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

 

About Marcia DeSanctis

Marcia DeSanctis

Marcia DeSanctis is a former television news producer for Barbara Walters, NBC and CBS News.

She has written essays and articles for numerous publications including Vogue, Marie Claire, Town & Country, O the Oprah Magazine, Departures, and The New York Times Magazine.

Her essays have been widely anthologized and she is the recipient of three Lowell Thomas Awards for excellence in travel journalism, as well as a Solas Award for best travel writing. She holds a degree from Princeton University in Slavic Languages and Literature and a Masters in Foreign Policy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

It isn’t everyday you have the pleasure of reading a travelogue writ in the style of a personal diary to the level where one woman’s peripheral intuitiveness lends a hand towards giving the reader a thread of insight that most travelogues do not typically yield. The format of this travelogue is one of the best I have come across due to the nature of how the list of 100 Places is formatted to be revealed. I am going to highlight my Top 5 sections as I want to give a sampling of the joy I experienced whilst reading this non-fiction account of Ms. DeSanctis’s travels within France.

She left such a strong impression on my heart as to eclipse the idea I haven’t yet travelled there myself by placing my mind inside her own shoes as she relates her own story as to create the feeling I was transported there whilst seeing everything she saw herself. To me that is the best part of reading travel fiction and travel non-fiction narratives; they allow us to employ the nature of what excites us as adventurers without necessarily needing to leave our home.

For most of us, travel in today’s world is cost prohibitive and/or we have to become more selective in our choices per year as to where we can afford to traverse. By picking up this guide of the 100 Places of whom gave the author an alarming connective tie to the countrymen and women of France, it will ignite a passion inside your own heart to either walk in her own footsteps or dare to sort out the parts of France that speak to your own spirit of taking an expeditionary route through this remarkably historic country.

Within the Introduction to this travelogue, we start to see the inklings of how DeSanctis first became enamored with France and not surprisingly there is a foodie connection to her passionate joy! I, for one, can fully understand how food can be a gateway into a country as for me it was India of which lent not only a curiosity of spirit for their culture and art (I maintain a healthy penchant for Bollywood films) but it was through the expressive nature of their spices and foods which translated directly into a passion for the people of the country. I can fully respect how a piece of bread (in the author’s case it was a croissant) can quite literally excite your senses for more exploration! (on my behalf it was naan!)

As she bespoke a curated passion for watching Audrey Hepburn movies (alongside Cary Grant) set in France, I smiled most readily because I completely concurred with her sentiments! Hepburn not only translated her characters as though she embodied their souls, but she had the formidable presence on screen to translate the setting and the scope of where the story was set. She redefined how to present a character and how to effectively endear to give a homage to where the character either lived or interacted. She is one of a kind in this regard, except to say I felt the same whilst watching Ingrid Bergman who was just ahead of her on the screen.

(The only difference between us, as I am a bit younger than the author, my “Sabrina” was not Ms. Hepburn but rather Julia Ormond — we blissfully walked away with the same appreciation for living a life where you do not allow your insecurities to interfere with your innermost dreams and desires.)

The way in which DeSanctis presents the allure of being in France is an insightful recollection of how we can lead full lives but have bits of who we are a bit absent as well. The country not only has a way of evoking a proper sense of history but an evocation of femininity and a re-definition of a well-lived life by not only having our senses fully exposed to the liveliness of a French life but to bring out anything that might have previously inhibitiously held us behind.

I found this element of an intangible difference in how life is lived within the film version of “The 100 Foot Journey” based on the novel I have not yet had the pleasure to read but of which exemplifies the same pursuit of not merely existing season to season but passionately living through sensory experience rooted in a connection to community, art, culture, and the interconnectedness of humanity. To intuitively thrive in the everyday hours whilst surrounding yourself in the places which enrich your mind, heart, and soul.

| Section One: #3 Homage to La Môme |

Music has always been a central focal point in my life as it has captured a piece of my own soul in such a way as to alleviate me out of stress or to cultivate an emotional response to a piece of instrumentation, vocalisation, symphony or score for motion picture in such a way as to transcend the moment in which the piece is heard. Music has a cadence of passion knitted into the chords, the harmonies, and the in-between moments that is especially unique to the artist who conceives the idea of what translates into an audio narrative of a story unspoken through words. Even when words are attached to the musical composition itself — they tell only half of the story which evolves through the instruments who accompany the voice.

[ it should be known I was listening to Programme #664 Dark Wisdom via Hearts of Space (hos.com) whilst composing this blog post — where string instruments evoked the gutting emotions of humanity. ]

Whilst reading her passages of appreciation on behalf of Edith Piaf, I started to conjure inside my own mind how beautifully dynamic this woman would have been on stage; how creatively evoking her voice would have spilt straight through my heart and soul whilst I would be seated in audience of her performance; and what a gift it would have been to witness her vocality first-hand. There have been a few times in my young life where I have been in the presence of a true performer of unexplained talent and grace, whose very voice was an instrument who could create music on a level that is not even able to be related in recollection through words; as most sensations of music are felt rather than spoken. Our thoughts and our impressions on music are on a completely different level of understanding than spoken dialogue (hence why music is being used to reach autistic children who otherwise cannot communicate).

Finding out there is a residential museum celebrating the life of the legendary and iconic singer made my heart sing with curiosity! I love finding tucked away museums which are housed in unexpected places, that take you on an internal journey back to the time and era the person lived. I always fancied visiting museums and other historic sites where only half the story of the person is known in the exhibits and the other half simply has to be felt by the person who visits the site with an open mind. Read More

Divider

Posted Thursday, 6 November, 2014 by jorielov in 21st Century, Anthology Collection of Stories, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Chefs and Sous Chefs, Cookery, Debut Author, Essays, Foodie Fiction, France, France Book Tours, French Literature, Indie Author, Interviews Related to Content of Novel, Life in Another Country, Literary Fiction, Non-Fiction, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Short Stories or Essays, Travel, Travel Narrative | Memoir, Travel Writing, Travelogue, Vignettes of Real Life