Literary edition

I think I'll begin this blog with a few words on the death of Maurice Sandek who was born on June 10th 1928 and who sadly died Tuesday last (May 8th 2012).
Maurice you see was a writer and also a children's illustrator  when he wasn't doing that, he work on stage sets and  a few other things.
As stories go he give us a big one "Where the Wild Things are" which was later adapted as a play and a good many others.
Maurice knew childhood sadness all right having lost many of his family in the Holocaust but he also knew of children's resilience and the the ability to find fun in the most trying of situations.
He'll be missed.

Having converted  a few book vouchers I had as birthday presents for my bigger self for something well, you know - littler - is so easy you'll wonder how come more don't, I've finally gotten around to reading them.
I think we all know I love Jacqueline Wilson's  work so I bought three books with four stories  with a bit of a common theme that of emotional ups and downs.
Dustbin Baby is a title for 'older readers' by which I think they mean people my age and is the story of April Showers attempt to piece together the whole history of her life through all the carers, foster parents back to the teenage boy who found her in the bin all cold and lonely.
It's a very moving and thoughtful  story that does have a happy ending.
The Bed and Breakfast star is the story of a families struggle having fallen on hard times  told  mainly though Elsa, lost their home and goes through the revolving door of no homes available and dumping grounds otherwise know as Bed and Breakfast accommodation that  is run down for welfare benefit claimants.
Elsa is a happy go lucky kind of a girl who we learn misses out on her education but in the end is the heroine raising the alert as the fire risk accommodation actually catches fire!
The Suitcase Kid talks about some that ought to talked about handling family break with Andy having to spend alternate weeks at each parent, custody battles and new step families.
The Lottie Project on the other hand is Charlie's discover of her Victorian twin through a school history project where she discovers as bad as her life is her twins is much worse.It also tackles the difficulties of employment for single parents.