Robbie’s Inspiration – Book reviews: A Spooky Tale: A walk with our teacher and All the Words I Kept Inside #childrensfiction #poetry

Today, I have two lovely book reviews to share with you. The first one is a children’s book and the second a poetry collection.

A Spooky Tale: A walk with our teacher by Sue WicksteadPicture caption: Cover of A Spooky Tale: A walk with our teacher

This book is a delight for young children. The teacher takes the class out for a walk and they run into a myriad of different situations populated by strange and mythical creatures. These are all reasons why the class doesn’t feel well.

The story is told in vivid but simple language suitable for young children and the illustrations are wonderful.

The ebook was not the best way to read this book as, on my reader, it showed the book as a double spread which didn’t do justice to the illustrations and made the text more difficult to read. The best way to read a children’s book is as a paperback.

Purchase A Spooky Tale: A walk with our teacher here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CP9Q4JQ

All the Words I Kept Inside by P.J. Gudka (Poetry)Picture caption: Cover of All the Words I Kept Inside by P.J. Gudka

I came across this poetry book by accident and the blurb interested me greatly. It astonishes me how many women, in this modern 21st century, still suffer abuse at the hands of various men in their lives. The more I read, the more grateful I am for my own life.

These poems are incredibly heartfelt and gut wrenching. You will not come away from the book untouched and that makes it a very powerful tool for the education of both men and women. The poet has a profound way of viewing life and seeing her situation with clarity. This, of course, does not mean it is easy to make changes.

These are a few short examples of the poet’s powerful writing:

Stop Running
“I spent my whole life running
From my problems
Why did it take me so long to realise
They were running with me”

The following poem is one that I, as a neurodivergent person, can identify strongly with. It is my favourite poem in the collection:

Be Yourself (But Our Version Of You)
“Trying to be myself
In a world that worships uniformity
I am torn between wanting to be accepted
And wanting to be happy
Trying so hard to break free
Of the chains of societal norms
Fighting every day to be me
But still wanting to keep everyone else happy”

This poem makes me wonder why our society is so hellbent on uniformity, when it is the diverse thinkers who make the changes and discoveries that improve our world. Was it always like this?

A beautifully written and striking collection of vivid poems, illustrated with the most gorgeous drawings. Congratulations to the author on a visual and mental artwork.

Purchase All the Words I Kept Inside from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/All-Words-I-Kept-Inside-ebook/dp/B0D42BHQQ8