How the Children Stopped the Wars

Title: How the Children Stopped the Wars Author: Jan Wahl Genre:  Children; Fairytale Length: 104 pages (paperback) Rating: 3 out of 5

Uillame is a shepherd who has not seen his father for many years.  He's approached by a stranger in a brown cloak.  Uillame offers the stranger his food and they begin to speak.  During the discussion the stranger shares, "War never - never - never - never seems to stop happening!"  The conversation continues and suddenly the stranger is gone.

Uillame decides that he cannot stay idle.  He begins on his crusade, gathering children with him as he goes.  They encounter monks who feed them, ship captains that want to sell them as slaves and a town of women who want to keep them as their own children.

The book was a quick read, less than a couple of hours.  It reads like a fairy tale.  However, I don't know that this is a book for young children.  I'm thinking more middle school age. 

Migrations

Title: Migrations Author: Charlotte McConaghy Genre:  Fiction / Science Fiction Length: 254 pages (paperback) Rating: 4 out of 5

I received a copy of Migrations in exchange for an honest review.

Nearly all land animals are extinct.  Fishermen are chasing what is virtually the last catch.  Franny Stone is attempting to follow the Arctic Terns and what might be their final migration.

Franny has a wanderlust that she cannot quench.  She doesn't know what drives it, but feels that it has been passed down through the generations.  She has tried to stay with her husband, but the pull to leave is stronger.

Franny joins the crew of the Saghani to chase the Arctic Tern.  As they begin to follow the three little dots on of the birds Franny tagged, the crew begins to learn that Franny has several darker secrets that she isn't ready to share.

The store is told from Franny's point of view.  It alternates from the present, to the distant past and not so distant past.  It is clear when these shifts are happening so it is easier to follow.

I was pulled in by the story.  Franny's destructive nature but her hope and desire to preserve the way of life of the Arctic Terns is heartwarming.  The author brings the characters to life in a way that helps tell Franny's story and continue to have her be the center of the story.