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Reviews
Penguin the Magpie: The Odd Little Bird Who Saved a Family by Cameron Bloom, Bradley Trevor Greive
gloriazthompson's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
5.0
One of the most beautiful and moving stories I've read.
seadaz's review
4.0
Not my usual read, a friend lent me her copy.
It is a quick and easy read, but it does leave you ‘thinking’ and I do feel as if I closed the book learning some things too.
A close family on holiday in Thailand when tragedy strikes. Sam (wife) ends up paralysed from waist down. I guess one wouldn’t generally say this was lucky, but it was in lucky in that the alternative would have been death.
The book goes on to tell the story of this family getting through it the best they could, learning all the way.
Along the way a feathery member joins the family in similiar circumstances as to Sam, injured and needing some love and assistance. At times they didn’t know if Penguin, an australian magpie was going to survive or not.
Penguin went through hard times, as did Sam and the family. Sam and Penguin were close, Sam could talk to Penguin and getnher feelings out and not feel as if she was whinging or carrying on strongly formher family, and Penguin sought comfort from her humans.
I did not know that once paralysed they would still feel steeling pain below the paralysed points, I knew of course of the pain, the depression, the thoughts of not being able/wanting to go on, and not wanting to be a ‘burden’. But this story tells you so much more. Sam tells her honest feelings at the end of the book to both paralysed people and to family members.
I hope to god that I or any of my family members are ever in this predicament, but if so I will draw on this book to move forward.
Little Penguin is a real character, love the photos, the boys sound like lovely people, and the love Cameron and Sam have is never ending.
Sam is now training bloody hard and representing Australia in canoeing and they have travelled abroad to compete in this new sport that assists her build a stronger body and take back some independence where it’s just her and the water.
Penguin still visits them, and likes to visit themschools,nearby and eat the children’s lunches! Haa haa Penguin sounds a hoot.
Definietely recommend a read of this story and enjoy the lovely personal photos in the book. Do have some tissues nearby as well.
It is a quick and easy read, but it does leave you ‘thinking’ and I do feel as if I closed the book learning some things too.
A close family on holiday in Thailand when tragedy strikes. Sam (wife) ends up paralysed from waist down. I guess one wouldn’t generally say this was lucky, but it was in lucky in that the alternative would have been death.
The book goes on to tell the story of this family getting through it the best they could, learning all the way.
Along the way a feathery member joins the family in similiar circumstances as to Sam, injured and needing some love and assistance. At times they didn’t know if Penguin, an australian magpie was going to survive or not.
Penguin went through hard times, as did Sam and the family. Sam and Penguin were close, Sam could talk to Penguin and getnher feelings out and not feel as if she was whinging or carrying on strongly formher family, and Penguin sought comfort from her humans.
I did not know that once paralysed they would still feel steeling pain below the paralysed points, I knew of course of the pain, the depression, the thoughts of not being able/wanting to go on, and not wanting to be a ‘burden’. But this story tells you so much more. Sam tells her honest feelings at the end of the book to both paralysed people and to family members.
I hope to god that I or any of my family members are ever in this predicament, but if so I will draw on this book to move forward.
Little Penguin is a real character, love the photos, the boys sound like lovely people, and the love Cameron and Sam have is never ending.
Sam is now training bloody hard and representing Australia in canoeing and they have travelled abroad to compete in this new sport that assists her build a stronger body and take back some independence where it’s just her and the water.
Penguin still visits them, and likes to visit themschools,nearby and eat the children’s lunches! Haa haa Penguin sounds a hoot.
Definietely recommend a read of this story and enjoy the lovely personal photos in the book. Do have some tissues nearby as well.
christinecraft's review
5.0
I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook and hearing this families story for the first time ever.
It was a raw, emotional, beautiful, and moving true story of a families hardships after Sam's life-altering accident and how Penguin the magpie impacts there recovery process for the better.
It's a very inspiring and heartwarming listen. I really loved it and highly recommend it!
It was a raw, emotional, beautiful, and moving true story of a families hardships after Sam's life-altering accident and how Penguin the magpie impacts there recovery process for the better.
It's a very inspiring and heartwarming listen. I really loved it and highly recommend it!
mistymoon24's review against another edition
2.0
I listened to the audiobook version, which was only okay. I think the print version with the photos would have been much better. I was hoping for more anecdotes about Penguin's behavior, but in the end it was much more about Sam and Cameron's journeys.
traceyanderson's review against another edition
3.0
I hate to say it because I’ve heard great things about Penguin Bloom, but it really left me wanting a lot more. I probably should have read the book rather than listen to the audio, but even then it was the narrative for me that I felt was lacking. I wanted more of Penguin and Sam and I didn’t get that unfortunately.
lizahotta's review against another edition
3.0
Penguin Bloom är tveklöst den vackraste bok jag läst, älskar de fina bilderna. Historien är känslosam och sorglig men i huvudsak mycket kärleksfull. Som djurvän kan jag verkligen relatera till att ett djur blir till en familjemedlem, ett barn, och kärleken till och från Penguin berör mig djupt.
sharolyn's review against another edition
4.0
A devastating story full of hope and beauty. Great to hear Cameron Bloom tell his perspective of the story and the frank closing words from his wife Sam Bloom about her life in a wheelchair at the end of the book were very important (challenging, needed, helpful, difficult...). The pictures are beautiful and the way the magpie came into their lives and made it's mark really is something special.
I don't want to be a Negative Nelly, but I almost wish they didn't have the inspirational sentences of text next to the photos. Just the story and then the pictures would have been sufficient for me. I think the pictures speak for themselves and the text seems a little bit trite. It some how cheapens or takes away from this incredible story. (I recently re-read the Blue Day Book by Bradley Trevor Greive (who co-authored this one too) and felt the same way. Kind of a cute style but also a bit tacky...). Am I a terrible person for saying that? Should I keep my mouth shut if I can't say something nice? Reviews can be so helpful and also so very weird and unhelpful.
I don't want to be a Negative Nelly, but I almost wish they didn't have the inspirational sentences of text next to the photos. Just the story and then the pictures would have been sufficient for me. I think the pictures speak for themselves and the text seems a little bit trite. It some how cheapens or takes away from this incredible story. (I recently re-read the Blue Day Book by Bradley Trevor Greive (who co-authored this one too) and felt the same way. Kind of a cute style but also a bit tacky...). Am I a terrible person for saying that? Should I keep my mouth shut if I can't say something nice? Reviews can be so helpful and also so very weird and unhelpful.
matildai's review against another edition
3.0
Audiobook is only 1h50 long but because his is primarily a visual book lost a star as I had nothing to look at. I think the pictures would really express the story