Elmer The Christmas Elf

For Faithful Friends

The Best Of Friends

Inside Out

No-one has ever accused me of being mainstream, and reviewing what obviously is a Christmas book in March does not bother me one iota. Christmas is a wonderful time, I for one advocate that we should celebrate it every day. The rest of the world seems fixated on not doing that, which I think is a shame.

One thing that you might not be aware of is the history of carols. We call the Christmas Carols today, but there were actually carols for every major holiday, Easter, and particularly Harvest time, or as it is known in the US Thanksgiving. So I vote we celebrate year round.

All-right, I know I am in the minority, but it is what I am good at

Marilyn Randall is no stranger to the book world, Elmer is her fourth young children’s book. I enjoyed the other three immensely and just knew I would love this one. If you have yet to experience Marilyn at work, you can find the reviews here, here, and here.

A successful children’s book requires a set of dynamics that to say the least are complex. It is a delicate line that has to join entertainment with education. A children’s book needs to impart a message. It has to turn a complex concept into a series of events that can be easily understood.

Elmer The Christmas Elf does exactly that. It shows that acts of selflessness do indeed come back in unexpected ways. The saying ‘It is better to give than receive’ is very true. Elmer toils endlessly, his joy is in his work. But Elmer also wonders about the little children that receive the efforts of his toils.

It is Christmas Eve, Santa has loaded up the sleigh and is on his way to deliver Elmer’s hard work to children across the world. It is with horror that Elmer discovers that they have missed one toy. A little boy or girl will not get a present! He has no sleigh, and no way to deliver the gift, in fact he does not even know who it belongs to.

I will not spoil the story by telling more, it may just be a young children’s book, but I like to keep some mystery to make people read the tale for themselves.

Marilyn Randall has once again done a wonderful job. I have to admit that I was not sure how this book would come out. In her previous works she has had animals as the main characters, rather than people. She has in fact done an outstanding job with Elmer. And once again she has done her own illustrations. This in itself is a rarity, I can think of very few authors in this genre that wear both the writer and illustrator hats. She also manages to capture the right style of illustration for the age group she is aiming for. That may seem a strange thing to say, but it is a very important aspect. There is a marriage and harmony required between the text and pictures that has to be achieved for a child’s book to work.

You can order your copy of Elmer The Christmas Elf by using the Amazon link above, in fact, I suggest that you order all of her books, you will not be disappointed.

Tomorrow, is the beginning of April, why not celebrate Christmas? In fact I think I will haul the artificial tree out of storage, my wife might moan and groan, but it looks so pretty!

Simon Barrett

I like Marilyn Randall’s books, I had read her first two and they were delightful. Writing a book for a young child is actually much more difficult than one might imagine. For Faithful Friends was her first foray into the young child genre (review here), and it really demonstrated her great ability. I have reviewed many books aimed at children but Marilyn is the first author that I have really enjoyed that did not just write the text, but did the illustrations as well.

She followed up For Faithful Friends with Best Of Best Friends (review here), once again she had a winner on her hands.

Inside Out is her third excursion, and she just goes from strength to strength. Although the characters are very different from the ‘friends’ series she has maintained a wonderful consistency in the style of both the prose, which is done in a loose rhyming meter, and the illustrations which are perfectly pitched for her target age group. So unique is Marilyn’s style I am pretty certain that if someone showed me 100 illustrations I could pick out the ones she had created.

The key to a successful children’s book is a complex one. Far more complex than many people understand. It is not merely a question of slapping a few words together and having some cartoonish illustrations. A well thought out children s book is a much deeper endeavor. The recipient is not the buyer! The buyer is usually a parent or grandparent. The author has to sell to an adult!

Most adults when looking for books for their young ones tend to seek out those that have some positive message. A book is a learning tool. To a young child it is nothing more than entertainment, yet in those pages can be important messages. When done well a child’s book is an educational tool that teaches some life values. A lesson learned and understood at an early age makes for a better person. As adults we understand many concepts, but what we view as concepts are often lost on a small child. However when you take a complex concept and break it into small, easy to understand ideas, the child can grasp it, and usually offer some commentary that you had never even considered.

Marilyn Randall is the King oops queen of taking a complex subject and putting it in terms that a young child can digest. Inside Out takes us into the world of how we perceive our self, and how we think others might perceive us. Beauty is on the inside, not the outside.

The best description is the one that Marilyn Randall offers in the dedication:

I dedicate this book to every child who at one time in their lives has thought they weren’t pretty or handsome enough. In our materialistic world it is easy for a child to feel that he or she isn’t good enough and we all need to know that true beauty is measured by who we are on the inside, not what we look like on the outside

In Inside Out we meet the wise old owl and the young frog. The young frog laments:

Why would God make me so ugly and green
Or for that matter, what of my warts?
He continued to cry on the bank of the brook
And his tears filled up by the quarts.

This simple stanza says much. Children are much more perceptive than people give them credit for. Todays world is a complex one, and one that is awash with peer pressure. A simple book like Inside Out might be just what your child needs. How many young children feel inadequate? In looks or achievement? They are perceptive, but often do not really understand the larger picture.

Inside Out is not triage, it is a true learning tool for a young child. Every child is going to feel some sort of rejection, it likely will be (in our grown up minds) just a minor thing.

To order your copy just click on the Amazon link above. I can say this, you will find a richness and satisfaction in this book that is lacking in many other authors that aim their works at being useful and educational to young children.

Simon Barrett

There is nothing more exciting than to sit down to watch a good horror flick with a bowl of hot buttered popcorn and a tall glass of cold coca-cola and trying to keep from spilling it all when a scary scene comes up making you jump. I have loved horror movies since I was a kid, unfortunately it is not a taste in movies that my husband I share so I have to stay up at night alone if I am going to be able to watch them.

Normally in a horror flick you sit on pins and needles not knowing if the next scene will make you jump out of your skin or scream out in tears from fear, but in this movie, Orlok The Vampire 3D you have a great mixture of horror along with laughter, to where you don’t know whether you should be laughing or crying. The 3D effects really add a fresh new perspective to a film.

The DVD includes an introduction by TROMA sensation Lloyd Kaufman, creator of the Toxic Avenger and you will also receive two pairs of 3D glasses to be able to enjoy the full effects of the movie.

In the film Max Schreck is back with his finest fang-to-flesh classic. Orlok The Vampire 3D is a restored version of Murnau’s Nosferatu. This never –before-seen print is an eerie and disturbing adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Shortly after its 1922 premiere, Murnau’s masterpiece became the subject of a bitter lawsuit. As a result all known copies of this blood sucking classic were destroyed… or so it was believed.

Eighty-seven years later Quality Cheese Productions unleashes this unnerving stereoscopic nightmare. Prepare for a filmic feeding frenzy of fright.

If you want to check out this horror flick you can click on the Amazon link about and purchase you copy of Orlok The Vampire 3D but make sure they send you the 3D glasses along with it.

Jan Barrett

Supervan is an exciting action packed film. Clint Morgan (Mark Schneider) defies his father by making a decision on his own. He decides to take the chance when he gets to enter his Van into a contest. He has the van customized like no other van has ever been. He has it equipped with lasers and a plush interior and the van is solar powered. It has been his dream to enter the van, Vandora, into a van contest known as “Freakout.”

Once the evil white haired bad guy, T.B. Trenton (Morgan Woodward) gets sight of Vandora he decides he has got to have it so he can enter it into the big annual van contest and win.

Karen Trenton (Katie Saylor), Trenton’s rebellious daughter decides to team up with Clint as they take off in the van together. Next comes wild and crazy car chases including the cops chasing them. They find themselves having to use the van to fight a group of really mean bikers with an attitude to stay on the road.

The movie is full of action including a wet t-shirt contest and even with a cameo appearance by a drunken Charles Bukowski. We see a jailbreak, homosexuals and a lot of good silly fun.

You can go to Youtube and see a trailer before deciding on buying it. I think if you were ever a fan of movies like “Convoy” and other car chasing movies you will enjoy the action in this one.

Supervan goes on sale on DVD on March 23, 2010 and to get yourself a copy click on the Amazon link above. I don’t think you will be sorry you did if you like this kind of action.

Jan Barrett

I first stumbled upon this very fine creator of young children’s books with For Faithful Friends, so taken with the book I decided to explore deeper. It transpires that Marilyn has a number of children’s books in print, The Best Of Best Friends is actually her second one of the series.

As a reviewer I have to admit that I do love children’s books. The dynamics are completely different from the adult world. Occasionally people will ask me what makes for a great children’s book. I have some theories, but they are no more than that. The adverts on the TV for a well known fast food chain talk about their secret recipe of 10 herbs and spices. In many ways that sums up the recipe for a great children’s book.

To be successful you need several elements, text that meets the age group you are aiming at, it is OK to challenge the vocabulary a little, but the new words have to be used in a context that the young reader will understand. The illustrations need to be in harmony with the story. What I mean by that is that they match the text from an age perspective. An illustration aimed at a 10 year old will be lost on a 4 year old, and vice versa.

Marilyn Randall is one of the very few authors that not only writes the story, but also illustrates them herself. This ability astounds me, few people can do this well. She has the ability to marry the text and illustrations to match the age group (pre reader – 7) with a wicked ability.

Another feature of a successful young child’s book is to include an educational component. The author is faced with a juggling act, the parents buying the book want the learning component, the child is looking for the entertainment value. This is a High Wire act for the writer. Marilyn Randall again comes through with flying colors.

As in For Faithful Friends the main characters are from the animal world, this time we have rather sedentary and bored pig, and a hyperactive bunny. They have little in common, yet become firm friends, each learning from the other. As in real life, people have different strengths, many friendships are at first glance strange, yet when you look into it a little more, you can see that 1 + 1 equals something larger than 2.

I think the reason that I was attracted to this book was actually the dedication page, a place most people gloss over. This made me sit down and think:

This book is dedicated to children everywhere. As you travel through this life, may you find your “Best of Best Friend” and keep them forever and remember always that no matter how tough things get, we must never, ever give up!

Friendship is a powerful message, and one that you cannot start teaching too early. The delightful characters in this book have very different personalities, very different strengths and weaknesses, this is just like the real world.

I could see this book being used a true learning tool by parents. I also like the way that Marilyn Randall encapsulates the segments of the story. A parent could read a page and discuss the story before moving on to the next adventure. The text itself is written in a four line rhyming poetic style. Simple concepts for young minds.

You can pick up your copy of The Best Of Best Friends by clicking on the Amazon link above.

Simon Barrett

I have a soft spot for children’s books, they are so much more fun to read than a lot of adult books and For Faithful Friends is no exception. It is a book that any young child would derive great pleasure from.

One of the unusual aspects is that Marilyn Randall not only created the text but is also the illustrator, this believe it or not is quite rare. The illustrations are done in a fairly soft watercolor style and and match the age group of the young reader very well. they are not overly complex, and convey the story line in a fashion that will appeal to any young reader.

The text is done in poetry style, a series of four line stanzas. While not in the quirky rhyming style of Dr Seuss it is most certainly pleasantly harmonic.

Children’s books are hard to create, it is the one genre where the purchaser is not the ‘end user’. It is mom and dad that have the money, and in order to appeal to mom and dad an author must try to incorporate an educational factor. In this case that is the importance of friendship. In fact, on the dedication page Marilyn says:

May you be lucky enough in life to have at least one Faithful Friend.

The story concerns a very shy little green turtle and a more boisterous field mouse. The turtle is so shy that he never ventures from out of the bramble bush that he calls home. Of course this solution works fine while his friend the field mouse brings ears of corn to eat, but what will happen when winter comes, the corn is gone, and his friend is underground sleeping?

Poor turtle must make a decision, but the open field seems like such a vast place, he can’t move very fast, and who knows what might be laying in wait to attack him.

His decision is made for him, the shadow of a cruising hawk spells danger for the field mouse, turtle must do something. By running as fast as his stubby legs will carry him, he distracts the hawks attention from his friend. He makes it to a nearby rock and hides beneath it, it is enough, his friend has made it to safety.

Also, turtles fear has gone, now he knows that while danger does lurk in the world, he can survive. A fear conquered through friendship.

At only 22 pages in length, For Faithful Friends should make for an ideal bed-time read. The text flows well, and the illustrations are very well done.

It is my understanding that Marilyn Randall has a considerable experience in the world of graphic design and that shows through in the illustrations. For Faithful Friends is actually the first in a series of children’s books by this author. I am looking forward to reading the others. I know that a new book Elmer, The Christmas Elf is rolling off the presses right now. Hopefully I can get hold of a copy soon, as Christmas is just around the corner. Based on my experience with For Faithful Friends suspect that Elmer, The Christmas Elf will be a must have for under the Christmas Tree.

You can order your copy of For Faithful Friends by clicking on the Amazon link above. Marilyn also has a web site in support of her books.

Simon Barrett

This 2 Volume Boxed DVD set, Wish Me Luck Series 1 is based on the true stories of female intelligence agents behind Nazi line. It has a great cast including, Kate Buffery, Jane Asher, Julian Glover, Michael J. Jackson, Warren Clarke and Jeremy Northam. Filmed on location in Britain and France Wish Me Luck boasts strong female characters, tension filled plots and historical authenticity.

On Disc 1 there are 4 episodes starting in England in 1942 where Liz Granger living in Dover with her 5 year old daughter and Matty Firman works in a London factory. Both women are recruited as secret agents. As they prepare for duty they fly to France with Liz having to say good bye to her daughter. When they arrive in France the leader there is surprised that there were two women sent to him instead of men.

On Disc 2 the episodes continue with Liz returning to London with some vital information. Liz’s friend Claudine has to face a choice of either becoming a double agent or be handed over to the Gestapo. Liz’s husband wants to know the truth about what her activities have been and when she finally confesses to him he is outraged. Back in France Matty is warned to be more careful and Claudine gives some useful information to the Germans. Matty gets captured and thrown in prison which causes trouble for the whole operation and safety of everyone involved so Liz has to be sent in to find out what is going on in France. Liz finds out the truth about who betrayed her friend Claudine and works on a dramatic rescue attempt to save Matty but can they reach her in time?

This DVD Set is filled with espionage, danger and romance behind the enemy lines. It aired on ITV for three series from 1988 to 1990 and it broadcast on U.S. public TV in the 1990’s.

Wish Me Luck Series 1 is a 2 volume boxed set that comes with special features of a historical background on the real operation that inspired the series and a photo gallery. It arrives on DVD from Acorn Media on March 16, 2010. To get your own copy you can click on the Amazon link above.

Jan Barrett

If you are a thriller lover like I am then this DVD set, Armchair Thriller Set 2 is for you. No one can do a good thriller like the Brits do. This set will surely keep you on the edge of your seat. The suspenseful plots trace the stories of desperate people trapped in dire situations. The grimly riveting tales are based on novels by acclaimed authors.

These tales feature superb acting, eerie ambiance and twisting plots. The excellent casts include Michael Feast, Renee Asherson, and Maria Aitken.

Set 2 is a DVD 4-Volume Boxed Set with four mysteries that give you hours of entertainment with the run time being approx. 547 minutes total. The DVD set includes The Chelsea Murders (one DVD has 6 series versions and the other has a feature length version. The other two DVD’s include The Circe Complex and Quiet as a Nun.

On volume 1 of The Chelsea Murders there are 6 episodes. In episode 1 There are three murders in Chelsea with only one clue which is a poem mailed to the police before the latest crime. A reporter gets involved in looking for clues while the police look for some sort of connection. In Episode 2 a second letter arrives mocking the police with the identity of the next victim. Now they are wondering if the reporter who knows about the letters could somehow be involved. Episode 3 has the police zeroing in on a hard pressed film making team. The killer attacks again but this time while dressed in a theater costume. In Episode 4 the authorities are getting really frustrated especially since one of their main suspects in the case gets attacked, Episode 5 has the police finding a video of the most recent murder and in Episode 6 the detective finally figure it out but the reporter finds herself in harm’s way to try and solve the case.

In volume 2 of The Chelsea Murders we have the feature length version as a movie that was aired in 1981. Both versions are included in this DVD set for tge complete viewing experience,

In volume 3, The Circe Complex we find six episodes which starts with Tom Foreman killing a policeman after he stole jewelry that is worth a lot of money. When he is caught he refuses to tell where he stashed the jewelry. Throughout the episodes Tom’s wife Val and the prison psychiatrist try locating the jewels trying to get more information from Tom who is refusing to talk. When they use an ex-con to help, things start to go very wrong. It is interesting to watch as the story unfolds and ends.

Volume 4, Quiet as a Nun is another British mystery in six episodes that has TV journalist Jemima Shore investigating the death of an old friend on hers who was a nun that starved herself to death in her convents tower. Shore has one num encouraging her to get away from the case while she can yet another encouraging her to continue. After hearing stories about an apparition that seems to haunt the hallways at night Shore goes off to look for the Black Nun. With her life in danger and the convents future at risk, Shore receives help from an unexpected source.

Armchair Thriller Set 2 debuts on DVD from Acorn Media on March 16, 2010. To get your copy of Armchair Thriller Set 2 just click on the Amazon link above and bring it into your home to enjoy.

Jan Barrett

This is an 11 volume DVD set of  The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Collection which hits the streets on DVD on March 16, 2010. Filled with suspense and psychological depth, we have these 17 feature length mysteries which are based on Ruth Rendell’s bestselling fiction. The stars included are Colin Firth, Honeysuckle Weeks, James D’Arcy, James Calls, Amanda Redman among others. This series had aired on public television in the 1990’s.

Rendell combines plots with a keen understanding of the motivations and machinations of the human mind. These series brings Rendell’s work to life with every wicked irony and startling twist intact.

In Set 1 Volume 1 called Master of the Moor we have Stephen Whalby as a boy that took his beloved moor to escape trouble at his home. The problem is that the trouble just follows him there as an adult when women’s bodies start showing up on the rocks, heather and the bogs. The trouble really starts when a rude outsider, D.I. Manciple targets Stephen as the prime suspect in the murder of these women.

Set 1 includes 3 volumes with 4 mysteries including Master of the Moor which runs about 154 minutes, Vanity Dies Hard running about 155 minutes, and on Volume 3 the total run time for The Secret House of Death and The Double is about 154 minutes.

In set 2 Volume 1 there is Bribery & Corruption which we see Nicholas Hawthorne who has always had a mad crush on Emma who is the free spirited wife of the shipyard owner who was the boss of Nicholas’s father. When Emma is murdered Nicholas learns that Emma’s life was way more complicated than he ever imagined.

Set 2 includes Bribery & Corruption and Front Seat which runs approx. 156 minutes, A Case of Coincidence and A Dark Blue Perfume which runs approx. 157 minutes and May & June and Orchard Walls which has a total running time of approx. 153 minutes.

Set 3 Volume 1, Going Wrong shows us  Guy Curran and Leonora Chisholm as wild teenagers that really believed they were soul mates, Eight years later when they meet again Guy wants to reclaim her as his love no matter who tries to get in the way.

Set 3 starts with Going Wrong with it running about 156 minutes, then Harm Done and The Fallen Curtain with both totals run time at approx. 51 minutes and Lake of Darkness and You Can’t Be Too Careful with the run time as approx. 153 minutes.

In set 4 volume 1 in Simisola, Dr. Raymond Akandea, Inspector Wexford’s Nigerian born physician, asks the detective chief inspector to find his 22 year old daughter, Melanie that mysteriously disappeared. In amidst of the investigation Wexford and DI Burden run across the body of Annette Bystock strangled in her apartment. She was an advisor at the job center and coincidentally was the last person to have seen Melanie.The mystery here is, is there a connection between Annette’s death and Melanie’s disappearance.

Set 4 has Simisola with the running time of 152 minutes and Road Rage which runs approx. 201 minutes.

This makes for a good entertainment for mystery lovers. You could sit back and enjoy this 11 Volume Boxed Set at your own convenience and time in your own home especially if you are bored with the regular TV programs being aired on TV these days.

To get your copy of  The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Collection, just click on the Amazon icon at the top of this article. I don’t think you would be disappointed in doing so.

Jan Barrett