Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: emotional

  • Superheroes for a Day

    Superheroes for a Day

    Set out as a novel for younger readers, Superheroes for a Day deals with three children at school. They are in the Special Education unit as all three have autism. Although as Craig Cormick points out, “One in sixty kids has some form of autism.” It shouldn’t be regarded as that special!

    Disaster has befallen the school as the key to the Sport Shed has been lost. This means that all equipment and PE lessons will be cancelled for a week and maths lessons will be taken instead. Of course there was a great deal of dismay, even in the students who loved maths. Daniel, Max and Natalie decided to take matters in their own hands.

    Thinking outside the square, being brave enough to speak to other students, and coming up with tactics such as dumpster diving, the trio managed to help solve the problems of the missing key and faced some of their fears doing it.

    This is a great way to raise awareness for young students. They may be more considerate when realising many issues can be difficult for other kids. Not all children are alike and while most kids understand this, they may not realise what a burden it is for the affected child.

    The large print, well-spaced text, and pictures help to make this an easy-to-read novel.

  • The Wisdom Years

    The Wisdom Years

    As life expectancy continues to grow, more and more people will experience the wisdom years and the awareness they bring. Retirement could be the beginning of a new more rewarding life!

    Zvi Lanir has written the perfect book, ‘The Wisdom Years’ which allows retired people to understand, explore and value those years post retirement. He offers readers the knowledge, the encouragement and ability to make the most of these valuable years. In his book he explains, using brain theory, why it is important for retirees not to allow their brains to retire, but to simulate them to achieve a new level of awareness in order to reap the benefits of the new life stage which lies ahead of them. By ditching some of the old habits and forming new one’s life could be fuller than before!

    The author identifies four personal dimensions; the cognitive, the emotional, the physical and the social, which he explores in detail. He believes that the over 65s’ functional age, quality of life and life expectancy are determined to a large extent by the interrelationship which exists between these personal dimensions. In his book he explains how people can actively influence their functional age and create a ‘personal reserve’ that will empower them to enjoy the wisdom years and delay the infirmities of old age.

    For anyone approaching retirement this is a must read, not as a manual for being a happy, successful retiree, but as a well-documented thought-provoking volume on the post retirement years. This easy to read book will resonate with seniors. It will trigger thoughts and ideas which are very familiar.

  • Home Again

    Home Again

    A lovely almost blues beat, introduces Home Again from acclaimed pianist Loren Evarts in his first solo piano album, which includes a touch of bodhran occasionally, that follows on from his previous highly acclaimed Water and Light, released in 2015 . The music is moody, ever-changing, pleasing and refreshing as if another presence is sitting beside Evarts on the piano stool as he is composing, adding a little here and a bit more there, to create a dreamy, relaxing and delightfully peaceful sound.

    Over the years Evarts has performed across a range of genres, from jazz to rock, disco, and for change of style a Portuguese band, all of which is influential in his music. As a highly sought after musician he has performed with some of the greats such as Dave Weckl (Chick Corea) Mike Davis (Rolling Stones) and many, many more. He is also noted for his Chamber Music compositions, one of which was a finalist in the prestigious London Chamber Music Ensemble competition.

    A Day on the Concord River introduces this melodic and pleasurable album as it meanders along with a delicious blues feel; drifting, mediative, and gentle with Dugong Dance a lovely continuance of this piece. Dancing along is Far and Away, a piece full of hope and joy, with a light and airy timbre.

    A thoughtful and contemplative piece is discovered in Sunset Island, bringing in the mellow feelings of watching the sun sink gently below the horizon; the end of the day bathed in the glorious colours of the evening skies, a time of reflection and acceptance.

    Home Again as the signature track is a jaunty little piece that signifies journeys end, home safely once again. Wedding at Sunrise arrives with a wonderful warmth of familiarity that makes it an immediate favourite with a lovely, almost ‘old fashioned’ air surrounding the composition.

    Nine Mile Bridge is a slightly more sombre, introspective piece, measured and broody with intriguing highlights interspersed within the melody, almost the light dancing on the water under a bridge as it flows deep and intriguing.

    The lovely and final piece The Good Life could easily be considered as a tribute to a life which has been rich and full. This stylish and gratifying collection demonstrates the immense understanding and passion Evarts has for and with his music which equals if not surpasses his first release, Water and Light.