Yanting Gueh's Blog, page 12

Being Al Capone's Neighbour

Imagine being a kid forced to live on the Alcatraz, where Al Capone and other conniving murderers, hitmen, and conmen were imprisoned. Imagine being a prison guard's son and living so close to these mad men.

And imagine letting Al Capone do your laundry.

The 'Al Capone' series revolves around Moose Flanagan and his family, including a sister with special needs. Moose makes friends with a few other children his age on that island and juggles his duty as his sister's caregiver and surviving being...

We Are A Privileged Bunch

I don't know if you've read this snippet from Neil Gaiman (author of American Gods, The Graveyard Book, Coraline etc.) somewhere, but when I came across this on Pinterest just few days ago, I was moved and proud of being both a reader and a writer. We are a privileged bunch to live in this generation in which books and stories are celebrated every day, aren't we?

Here it is, my inspiration of the week:
And since words are powerful, I'd like to echo a fellow writer-blogger, Sherry Alexand...

The Farting Artiste

PICTURE BOOK
* Dear Readers,
Please do not worry. This post will not smell.

...

There are many kinds of artistes in this world. But Joseph Pujol was the only one who could turn farting into art.

It began when he was eight. Swimming in the ocean in Marseille, he discovered the delight of flexing his gut and heaving sounds from his butt.

High and low, loud and soft. Joe farted music and entertained his fellow soldiers in the army, and later his ten children when he worked as a baker.

{You're p...

Home Above & Under the Brooklyn Bridge

Most children's stories are about the protagonists achieving a dream or overcoming defeat. Not this one. Sure, our hero, Joseph Michtom, did fulfill a dream, but this story's highlight, for me, isn't that. This story is about the community of characters (mostly immigrants) and their stories.


Characters who lived above the bridge, and those who strayed and stayed under.


1903, Summer


Home above the Bridge
~ There were the Michtoms, the family who first started stitching and selling teddy bear...

My Journey in Painting

My lovelies, the irony was not lost on me.


Just after I blogged on not giving up on our creative life, I fell off the horse last week. (The Life/Work horse.)I have fallen off the horse in the past, but this time it has taken me longer to get back on.


I'll skip the 'Why.' What matters is that I'm back. Trotting along.The Year of the Horse ~ we all thought it was about galloping into the dust. Maybe it's also about falling and clambering up if the fall hasn't killed you yet. Out in the Wes...

8 Reasons Why You Should Carry On with Your Creative Work Even If It Seems to be Going Nowhere

1. Because you began without knowing where it would end up anyway. That was the biggest risk and you had taken it back then. You're still alive. Nothing tragic has happened and you've even gained insight on your skills or lack thereof. You now know which areas to work on.


I know, I know, there was hope at the beginning. And now, there doesn't seem to be a glimmer of it. (Which brings me to No. 2 ...)


2. Because you've mistaken a rough patch as stagnance. No artist is spared from...

Happy Chinese New Year

Art courtesy of Creative Commons

Wishing all reader friends here a happy and healthy Year of the Horse!
Gallop free and strong, you all.


...



If you're looking for a children's book on this festival, here's a post from last year (also written on the eve) on a marvelous picture book about family love:
Reunion & Longevity Visit Claudine Gueh's profile on Pinterest.

Drawing Up An Imaginative Journey

Towards the end of last year, I read about this book on several blogs and thought it might be something I'd be enchanted with.

Here's what Journey, a wordless picture book, is about:

Bored and lonely at home, a girl found a red marker pen and drew a door on her bedroom wall. She opened it and slipped out into a green woods lit by blue lanterns. She walked to a stream and drew herself a boat.

She sailed away.

Into a magical kingdom.

There, she encountered new dangers and managed t...

Sitting between Two Grandpas, One with Fangs

In his dedication, Author Uri Orlev wrote, "I dedicate this book to those who are not afraid of slight distortions of reality."

Likewise, I recommend this book to those unafraid of slight distortions of reality.

... "Maybe I like fixing things so much because I'd really like to fix the world.
And for that, it's too late."
~ Grandpa
Michael became 'Mikha'el' when he moved from Port Washington to Jerusalem with his mom and dad. They moved to...

Lalouche ~ Great Postman, Mighty Boxer?

Meet Lalouche, a humble postman living in Paris more than a hundred years ago.
"He was small, Lalouche,
and rather bony,
but his hands were nimble,
his legs were fast,
and his arms were strong."

Lalouche took pride in his job. He lived in a rented room with his pet finch,Geneviève. It was a small room and it lacked a window with a view. Lalouche tried not to mind.

One dreadful day, he was let go from his job. With that, he was likely going to lose his rented room, and Geneviève a...