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sofia_santana's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
sugar_book_fairy's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
claudia_mary's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
showell's review against another edition
4.0
I learned about these books through Snapdragons, a blog about the domestic adventures of a new mom. The author of the blog had grown up reading these stories and was very excited about the prospect of sharing them with her own child. I'd never heard of them, but as I'm always on the look out for new books to read with The Four-Year-Old, I spent a week or two hunting them down.
Sadly, the books appear to be a UK phenomenon, which means it's hard to find copies of them in the U.S. When I consulted my librarian, she found a spin-off by Alan MacDonald called Wilfred to the Rescue. While the story was cute and the illustrations engaging, it was hard to see from this book exactly why Snapdragons would write about the Brambly Hedge mice with such passionate devotion. (I should probably mention here that The Four-Year-Old adored Wilfred to the Rescue. I liked it myself. I just didn't find it exceptional.)
I finally found a reasonably priced used copy of the Complete Brambly Hedge through Amazon. The collection contains all eight original Brambly Hedge stories, including Spring Story, Summer Story, Autumn Story, Winter Story, Poppy's Babies, Sea Story, The High Hills, and my daughter's favorite, The Secret Staircase.
Once I opened an original, I understood Snapdragons' devotion in about two seconds. For the stories themselves, think Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit stories with mice and without the sometimes surprising lapses into violence that forcibly remind you that Potter wrote in a different cultural context. In Potter's world, Mr. MacGregor has a distressing habit of stalking through the pages taking potshots at the cast with his shotgun. That sort of thing doesn't happen in the Brambly Hedge.
The stories are charming, but it's the illustrations with their incredibly rich detail that won my heart. Small wonder each drawing took Jill Barklem three months to complete. (Each book in the series is the product of two years' effort.)
My favorites are the ones that dissect the trees where the mice make their homes. I could spend hours staring at all the little rooms the mice have carved out of the tree, complete with tiny furnishings, winding staircases, and halls. The Four-Year-Old, on the other hand, would prefer to spend those hours staring at the illustration of the room at the top of the Secret Staircase, with its spider webs, columns, detailed tapestries, mice statues, and especially the little suit of mouse armor standing guard on the side.
Although the gallery of illustrations from the Brambly Hedge site does not include a dissected tree or the secret room, they do provide a fairly good idea of the quality of the illustrations in this book.
The Brambly Hedge books are in the process of being re-released in the UK. The Complete Brambly Hedge collection was released just this past October, and according to the Brambly Hedge Facebook page, the individual hardcover books will soon follow. (Unfortunately, although Brambly Hedge assures me they do plan to release the books in the United States, they haven't set a date for it yet.)
(Review originally published on my blog: Caterpickles.com.)
Sadly, the books appear to be a UK phenomenon, which means it's hard to find copies of them in the U.S. When I consulted my librarian, she found a spin-off by Alan MacDonald called Wilfred to the Rescue. While the story was cute and the illustrations engaging, it was hard to see from this book exactly why Snapdragons would write about the Brambly Hedge mice with such passionate devotion. (I should probably mention here that The Four-Year-Old adored Wilfred to the Rescue. I liked it myself. I just didn't find it exceptional.)
I finally found a reasonably priced used copy of the Complete Brambly Hedge through Amazon. The collection contains all eight original Brambly Hedge stories, including Spring Story, Summer Story, Autumn Story, Winter Story, Poppy's Babies, Sea Story, The High Hills, and my daughter's favorite, The Secret Staircase.
Once I opened an original, I understood Snapdragons' devotion in about two seconds. For the stories themselves, think Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit stories with mice and without the sometimes surprising lapses into violence that forcibly remind you that Potter wrote in a different cultural context. In Potter's world, Mr. MacGregor has a distressing habit of stalking through the pages taking potshots at the cast with his shotgun. That sort of thing doesn't happen in the Brambly Hedge.
The stories are charming, but it's the illustrations with their incredibly rich detail that won my heart. Small wonder each drawing took Jill Barklem three months to complete. (Each book in the series is the product of two years' effort.)
My favorites are the ones that dissect the trees where the mice make their homes. I could spend hours staring at all the little rooms the mice have carved out of the tree, complete with tiny furnishings, winding staircases, and halls. The Four-Year-Old, on the other hand, would prefer to spend those hours staring at the illustration of the room at the top of the Secret Staircase, with its spider webs, columns, detailed tapestries, mice statues, and especially the little suit of mouse armor standing guard on the side.
Although the gallery of illustrations from the Brambly Hedge site does not include a dissected tree or the secret room, they do provide a fairly good idea of the quality of the illustrations in this book.
The Brambly Hedge books are in the process of being re-released in the UK. The Complete Brambly Hedge collection was released just this past October, and according to the Brambly Hedge Facebook page, the individual hardcover books will soon follow. (Unfortunately, although Brambly Hedge assures me they do plan to release the books in the United States, they haven't set a date for it yet.)
(Review originally published on my blog: Caterpickles.com.)
bmg20's review
5.0
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
Okay folks, it's story time.
When I was a kid I used to live in Northern California in this super small town where there really wasn't much to do besides go to the movies and go to the library (or in the summer there was the swimming pool). With these options available to me I guess I'm not really surprised that I have an extreme love for books now. Our library was pretty small but they had quite a large children's section where looking back, I think I spent half my life there (it seems). I remember whenever we would go to the library I'd plop down on the floor just to look at these books (since I had already read them dozens of times) but I positively adored the pictures and they fascinated me at that age.
Over time I ended up forgetting all about these books... until just a few weeks ago. I'm not sure what triggered it but I had this vivid memory of me at my old library reading these books. It bugged me for WEEKS because I could not remember what they were called or who the author was so I could look at them once again. I ended up on this random classic book blog searching through about 2,000 items thinking that if I just saw the cover I would remember. And sure enough, I found them on this website! I found the complete collection of these books on the Book Depository and knew I had to own it.
As quoted by the author:
"Brambly Hedge is my ideal world. The way the mice live is completely natural, which is how I think life ought to be. They appreciate and use everything that grows around them. Theirs is a loving and caring society, but the mice are not just series and worth. They have FUN! Life is a series of picnics and gatherings, parties and outings."
Okay, so this really isn't a review but I felt the need to relay the huge impact that these books had on my childhood. They're the most darling stories and even more precious illustrations. My favorite illustrations were of their homes; they were extremely detailed and just looked like a fun place to be.
Okay folks, it's story time.
When I was a kid I used to live in Northern California in this super small town where there really wasn't much to do besides go to the movies and go to the library (or in the summer there was the swimming pool). With these options available to me I guess I'm not really surprised that I have an extreme love for books now. Our library was pretty small but they had quite a large children's section where looking back, I think I spent half my life there (it seems). I remember whenever we would go to the library I'd plop down on the floor just to look at these books (since I had already read them dozens of times) but I positively adored the pictures and they fascinated me at that age.
Over time I ended up forgetting all about these books... until just a few weeks ago. I'm not sure what triggered it but I had this vivid memory of me at my old library reading these books. It bugged me for WEEKS because I could not remember what they were called or who the author was so I could look at them once again. I ended up on this random classic book blog searching through about 2,000 items thinking that if I just saw the cover I would remember. And sure enough, I found them on this website! I found the complete collection of these books on the Book Depository and knew I had to own it.
As quoted by the author:
"Brambly Hedge is my ideal world. The way the mice live is completely natural, which is how I think life ought to be. They appreciate and use everything that grows around them. Theirs is a loving and caring society, but the mice are not just series and worth. They have FUN! Life is a series of picnics and gatherings, parties and outings."
Okay, so this really isn't a review but I felt the need to relay the huge impact that these books had on my childhood. They're the most darling stories and even more precious illustrations. My favorite illustrations were of their homes; they were extremely detailed and just looked like a fun place to be.
arybo_'s review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
pianogirlblue's review against another edition
5.0
Gorgeous illustrations. It was fun to read this with my kids.
poemsandponds's review
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Started off the year with a banger! This is a new favorite. I fell in love with Brambly Hedge and the little mice that inhabit it. I want to live in this world and I think my new life goal is to live like a little mouse, going with the changes of the seasons, having picnics and napping in the hedge grasses. It has a special place in my heart and I have a new happy place to return to when I need comfort. What more can you ask for from a book?
Also as an artist and aspiring book illustrator, the art in this book was an absolute delight and an inspiration. You have these foundational moments in life when you read a book or see a painting or hear a beautiful song and think “that!” THAT’S what I want to do! THAT’S how I want people to feel when they see my work! I want to be that good! It inspires and informs your work and you take that with you whenever you create. These illustrations did that for me.
Also as an artist and aspiring book illustrator, the art in this book was an absolute delight and an inspiration. You have these foundational moments in life when you read a book or see a painting or hear a beautiful song and think “that!” THAT’S what I want to do! THAT’S how I want people to feel when they see my work! I want to be that good! It inspires and informs your work and you take that with you whenever you create. These illustrations did that for me.
hmcastaldo's review against another edition
5.0
beautiful illustrations, gentle stories
a wonderful gift from a friend
a wonderful gift from a friend