The White StarLine Titanic Notebook

The White Star Line Titanic Notebook- The Story of the World’s Most Famous Ship
Published by Insight Editions

About the book

In The Titanic Notebook, spectacular paper engineering brings to life the glory and the folly of one of the most iconic ships in maritime history. From flaps and fold outs to intricate 3-D cutaway models, readers can touch a lost world and explore for themselves the innermost workings of this great ship.
Mingle with the 3,500 passengers and crew. Share the luxury of life aboard. Relive the moment as disaster strikes. Witness the extraordinary rediscovery.
Complete with a 27-inch-long Titanic model to assemble, The Titanic Notebook's fact-packed pages and imaginative paper engineering are a unique record of her story, from the fanfare of her launch to her final resting place.

My Thoughts

Imagine my surprise when I read that billionaire Clive Palmer and his Blue Star Line company unveil the blueprints of the Titanic II this week in New York City.    The new ship is schedule to transport passengers across the sea in 2016.  

Not sure what I think about this but to go in line with this announcement, I thought it would be the perfect time to post a review for the book The White Star Line Titanic Notebook.  This book contains the story of the world’s most famous ship and features pop-ups, flaps, foldouts, illustrations, photographs, documents and plans. And to top it out you will also have a 27-inch-long Titanic model to assemble! 

Packed with vintage photos and drawings, this notebook will guide you through the building, the voyage and the tragedy of the Titanic that happened more than 100 years go. This book itself is fabulous as it contains numerous ways to attract the person reading it in exploring and discovering the story of the Titanic.  You will have to open papers in order to learn more about the Titanic.  You will be surprised by pop-outs as you turn the pages.  You will read some comic strips to illustrate something that happened on the Titanic.  But I think the best part of the book is the build your own model of the Titanic which can be found at the end of the book.   For a child who loves to build paper model, this will be the summon of reading this book!

This book is perfect to use as an history tool when the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic comes around.   I find it important that my kids learn about past event so that they know that anything can happen in life.   If you would like for your child to learn more about the Titanic and let him/her build her own model of it, I suggest that you check out this book!

The White Star Line Titanic Notebook- The Story of the World’s Most Famous Ship is available for purchase at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

     

Disclaimer: Thanks to Insight Editions for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Wizard of Oz

Wizard of Oz – with three-dimensional pop-up scenes
Written by L. Frank Baum
Published at Insight Editions

About the book

The Wizard of Oz.

It's difficult to put a new spin on a classic, but that is exactly what has been done in this edition, which brings the story to life with three-dimensional pop-up scenes and Nicola Robinson's intricate pen-and-ink illustrations. Watch the tornado descend on Dorothy's house and fear the cackle from the Wicked Witch of the West. Follow Dorothy, Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man down the yellow brick road into the Emerald City and experience the wonder of returning home with a click of the magic slippers. Kids will love the charming drawings and interactive pop-ups and adults will enjoy revisiting a story from their own childhoods. An abbreviated adaptation of the original work by L. Frank Baum celebrates the tale that has transcended time while introducing it to an entirely new generation of readers.

My Thoughts

Wizard of Oz has been part of the Christmas holidays for years when I was younger.  It is one of the movies that I watched so often that I lost count of it – along with Sound of Music and Jesus of Nazareth.   This book is the classic story of the Wizard of Oz and will transport you in the story as you discover the marvelous pop-up scenes spread throughout the book.

I must admit that I never read the book itself – even though I have seen the movie so often.  It’s a shame that I can now correct and change thanks to this marvelous edition.    The pop-up scenes add a new twist to the story as you eagerly look forward for the next one and discover what it would be.   I am certain that adults and children alike would love to read the story and discover the scenes in the book.

I am quite impressed with the quality of the book and by the way the scenes open up.   The three dimensional perspective is well done and the illustrations throughout the book will give you a new perspective of the story (especially if you only know the movie version!).   This book is definitively a classic that would make a great addition to have in your home.     I also believe that it is a great version to give as a birthday or Christmas gift. 

The Wizard of Oz is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

     

Disclaimer: Thanks to Insight Editions for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Tolkien’s World

Tolkien’s World – A Guide to the Peoples and Places of Middle-Earth
By Gareth Hanrahan and Peter McKinstry
Published at Insight Editions

About the book

Tolkien's World takes readers on an incredible journey through the realms of Middle-earth and back to a time when elves, dwarves, wizards, and a small, courageous people known as hobbits battled the forces of evil. This lavishly illustrated guide brings you the people and places from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Explore Middle-Earth, from the rolling hills of the Shire to the desolate ash plains of Mordor. Discover the secrets of a world where the elves roamed through enchanted forests and dragons slept in dark caverns under the mountains. With stunning artwork that re-imagines the places and people of Middle-Earth, Tolkien's World is ideal for hobbit fans, big and small. Open the pages of Tolkien's World and meet Bilbo Baggins, the hero of The Hobbit. Then find out about Gandalf the wizard and his incredible magic powers, uncover the story of the unfortunate Gollum or learn about magical weapons, such as Gandalf's sword Glamdring. This meticulously researched guide lets you discover the amazing peoples and creatures that inhabit Middle-earth, from friendly elves and stout-hearted dwarves to the deadly dragon Smaug and the evil Sauron. Packed with adventure and lore, Tolkien's World is a must for all Hobbit fans.

My Thoughts

With the upcoming movie The Hobbit soon to be release in theaters and reading the book with my kids, how can I not review a book that present the peoples and places of Middle-Earth?   Though it is an unofficial and unauthorized guide to Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, I think it is worth checking it out.   

As soon as you open this hard cover book, you will contemplate the face of Gandalf staring at you or Gollum surprised by your arrival in the pages.   The book is divided in three sections; the free peoples, the enemy, and legends and lore of Middle-Earth.  Once the book is cracked open, I think it will be hard to put down if you like the stories of The Hobbit and it sequel The Lord of the Rings. 

Each section will present the people and places found in the pages of the book of Tolkien.   Accompanied by fabulous drawings and sketches, the text will give you information about everything you can imagine from Middle-Earth.    As you turn the pages, you will definitively be fascinated with the Mithril vest, the tools and weapons they carry in their quests, the rings, the orcs and much more.   Flipping and reading through the book, I am transported toward Middle-Earth and recognized the storyline of the movies of The Lord of the Rings.     I am also able to learn more about the characters and the story as I explore this book.

This book is fabulous in the way of you can learn more about the people and the places in Middle-Earth.  It could be a great book to introduce your kids to the books and/or the movies.   And if you have a fan of Tolkien’s works in your life, he/she might find this book very interesting.   

Tolkien’s World is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

     

Disclaimer: Thanks to Insight Editions for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.