Book Reviews
First Class Debut
Vanessa Chase’s wonderful tale, ARTEMIS AND THE VIOLIN, made me wish that my nineteen-year-old granddaughter was five or six again. Not only is the story filled with intelligent, engaging, and quite humorous animals, but it teaches as well as entertains. What’s different about this book – and what a credit to its author – is that the educational aspect is never dull or didactic. The lessons kids absorb about animals always flow through the dialogue of the various animals themselves and this is quite clever, for it allows a parent to read this book aloud to a child so the two of them can wink and nod together at the antics of the characters and learn at the same time. Vanessa Chase also has a flair for the poetic: “Artemis was cradled in soft images of cool blue streams, silvery-white birch bark, and crisp mountain air.” Hopefully, Ms. Chase will continue to write books as mesmerizing as ARTEMIS AND THE VIOLIN.
— Joe Kelley, Author of REBECCA SCOTT
The ABCs of Improv: Why This Book Matters
So, your kids know their ABCs, but what’s next? Artemis and the Violin invites kids ages 6 to 11 to the next level of ABCs by exploring the following themes:
A: Do accidents lead to adventure or adversity?
B: Do bumps and bruises build us or break us?
C: How do our choices change us?
Artemis the chipmunk gets lost a long way from home and is desperate to return, but how? He overcomes a number of challenges by creatively navigating every step along the way, with an open heart and sheer determination.
He encounters characters, expressively illustrated, who enrich the story with their quirky personalities and nature facts. As the centerpiece of the story, the violin is instrumental in illustrating the power of improvisation: “It’s when you make it up as you go along,” the process Artemis relies on to find a solution to his predicament.
Artemis and the Violin demonstrates ways we can make choices in our lives at any age. His accidental trip to Texas is a reckoning: engage in finding a solution to return home, or give up. Artemis deals with intense fear, pain, hunger, and frustration, which he needs to overcome, or concede defeat. This chipmunk’s choices at each step of his journey are outside of his comfort zone, which inspires some of his friends, too. Improvising can give us confidence and courage to trust ourselves and to think creatively, one step at a time.
This delightful book would make a great addition to any home, school, library, and nature center. I recommend it for its charming and engaging story, honesty, and positive values. Can’t wait for your next one, Ms. Chase!
-Erica Salerno, Columnist, Almanac Weekly
