Mrs. D

Olga D���Agostino���s story, The Little Girl Praying on the Hill, evokes soliloquy elements with her monologue of a lonely girl���s friendship with the wind and her imaginary friend, the ���snow-white princess���, who represents ���the doll she never had.���
This is a sad story of a child���s feelings of helplessness as she tries to cope with her alcoholic father who continually humiliates and beats up on her mother. The only way her brothers show more and sisters can protect their mother is by hiding her under the piles of hay in the barn while the father is on a drunken rampage. Yet the young child feels conflicting emotions between the love she has for her father and her despair as she watches his cruelty towards her mother.
There is no love in the young girl���s life; the mother is too exhausted from her long days toiling on the farm, and the alcoholic father is emotionally unable to fulfill his role of husband and parent. She finds solace from her loveless world by embracing the beauty and stability of nature: ���the blue sky became her escape from reality���. Love only comes to her when she imagines herself dead���only then does the mother show her affection by mourning for her loss child.
This is a poignant story���a variation from the author���s usual child-oriented stories���but one that will remind you of the stark reality lived by other children around us who are starving for love. Well done, Olga D���Agostino, this story will bring tears to many. show less

Once upon a time they told us babies were brought by storks, but today’s children are more likely to know they grow in mommy’s tummy. Baby from the Moon combines both stories, giving the baby a pre-birth existence where he longs for his fair-haired mother, followed by a frantic flight over the earth where the stork finds all the wonderful moms who houses are already full, till he eventually finds one longing for Baby.

From here, the story takes on a real-world sense, with food cravings, show more voices heard through the pool where baby swims, to birth with its pushing and mom saying she’ll never go through this again. When the baby arrives, love conquers all, and the moon and stars look down.

Baby from the Moon is a sweet story, a nicely modern take on the old stork tale, and a pleasingly real introduction to where babies might really come from. It’s beautifully illustrated with convincing character, whimsical dream, and bright colors, one picture across from each page of clear black-and-white text, an enjoyable book.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy and I offer my honest review. show less

Mrs. D once again brings us on a delightful journey with her fabulous picture book, The City Kittens and the Old House Cat. The perfect story to read at Christmas time when we prepare to celebrate our blessings and to be thankful for the love of our family. It is the story of Nydia, an old established cat, who has no patience for the two frisky kittens, calling them pampered city cats. Her opinion of them soon changes when she hears of the bleak conditions the kittens were found in.
The show more illustrations are splendid and would bring a smile to any young reader. This book goes beyond the cute story about a grumpy cat at Christmas time. There is a message of tolerance for young and old, and the gentle reminder not to judge others. show less

Good Morning, World is Mrs. D's third picture book and more is on the way. It is a story depicting two contrasting perspectives: the old and the young, the joyful and the fearful, new beginnings and end of journey. It is also presents a sad commentary on man's disconnection with nature. A couch-potato grandfather is coaxed by his wife to take their grandson for a stroll in the park. The young child's joy at seeing all the different birds, butterflies and flowers is cut short by the show more grandfather's fears of imagined dangers. How much more energetic grandfather would be if he also connected to the beauty and joys of nature?
The colourful images are precious and reflect with detail the young child's enthusiasm as well as grandfather's unease. A terrific choice for the parent seeking a fun book to read to their young child. show less