What’s it about?
A modern translation of an old tale, Magic Words is about the Inuit belief that words had power.
My Review of Magic Words by Edward Field
Magic Words, word-wise, is nothing outstanding. It relays to children the basic concept that the Inuits believed that once upon a time, words had power. That people had to be careful what they said because even accidentally spoken words could come to life. While it’s not outstanding text, it does present a great opportunity to speak with your child about the concept of words having power. Something that is important (though not quite in the way of the Inuit belief) even now. It is a conversation I’ve had with my child on multiple occasions. It’s to the point now where all I have to tell her is “Remember, words have power.” and she parrots back at me “and using them too much loses that power.”
Words do have power. The power to rip, to hurt, to destroy. As well as the power to build up, to protect, and to show love. People love to talk without actually considering what they’re saying. The saying the pen is mightier than the sword has stuck around for all these years for a reason. I think its very important that our kids understand this idea.
With that being said, the book does stand out spectacularly for one particular reason. The artwork. The illustrations in this book are amazing. Rich colors spill across the page, leaving no piece untouched. Bold, sweeping lines trace out figures and land for us. The chalk/charcoal look makes you want to run your hands over the pages as you expect them to be as soft and wonderful to feel as they are to look at. Mike Blanc provided a gorgeous backdrop for the tale this book told. He truly is an extremely talented artist.
Overall, this is a gorgeous book with a super simple message, and would be a great addition to a child’s library.
Click here to get Magic Words now from Amazon.
Title: Magic Words: From the Ancient Oral Tradition of the Inuit | Author/Translator: Edward Field | Illustrations: Mike Blanc (site) | Publisher: Vanita Books (site) | Pub Date: 2013-9-1 | Pages: 24 | ISBN13: 978-0983290476 | Genre: Children’s Fiction | Language: English | Triggers: None | Rating: 4 out of 5 | Date Read: 2016-3-30 | Source: Received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
