Children's Book of the Month! - Once Upon a Time, the End (asleep in 60 seconds)

I don’t know about you, but I have retained my love of children’s books into adulthood. They are so fantastical and fun! Some are educational, and some are just for entertainment, but what really gets me is how much storytelling happens in such a short amount of time. Within the thirty or so pages in a children’s book, there is a setup, catalyst, midpoint, fun and games, and more! Sometimes there is even a dark night of the soul (if you don’t know what that is, check out the Save the Cat! Writes a Novel), and a conclusion. If you have ever written a short story, you know that is impressive! In addition to these short stories that hit all the writing beats, they often hit all the right emotions. A good children’s book will hold both the parent and child’s attention from front to back (Though not always. As parents know, some days, you only get through two pages, and that is completely okay. If we adults are honest, it happens to us too) and lead them through an emotional experience for the whole family. Because children’s books are such a blast and can be enjoyed by both young and old, I thought it would be fun to include a children’s book of the month on my blog! At the beginning of each month, I will review and discuss a children’s book that you can share with others of all ages!

Children's Book of July!

To kick off the Children’s Book of the Month posts, I decided to discuss one of my personal favorites, Once Upon a Time, the End (asleep in 60 seconds). This book was actually one that I stumbled upon later in life, and my family thought it was so funny we just had to have it in the house. My nieces and nephews and many of my friends’ children love this book, and it is one I make sure to share every chance I get!

Book Information

Title: Once Upon a Time, the End (Asleep in 60 Seconds)

Author: Geoffrey Kloske

Illustrator: Barry Blitt

Theme: Bedtime

Plot: Tired, desperate dad. Not so tired, energetic child.

Page Count: 27 pages of story

My Review

Every parent has had nights when their kids just won’t go to sleep. If that has happened to you, you need this book! Its quick-paced story follows a dad desperate to get his child to bed. In his own need for sleep, the father begins shortening story time in hopes it will help speed things up. As to whether it works or not, well, you will just have to read the story.

Written by Geoffrey Kloske, with illustrations by Barry Blitt that add to the hilarity of the father’s storytelling prowess, this book is sure to keep both you and your child entertained. But with the spot-on desperation of the book’s leading father figure, you just might laugh as much, or more, than your child! In short, Once Upon a Time, the End (asleep in 60 seconds) tells an engaging and funny story accompanied by characters and art that offer a fantastic, not-so-exaggerated depiction of life with a child. The story progresses nicely and remains entertaining to the last page. As a storyteller, book lover, and auntie to many nieces and nephews, I give this book a five-star rating!

But don't just take it from me, let's hear some feedback from both parents and their little ones!

Family Reviews

Alyssa and Chandler

With a rating of four out of five stars, Alyssa said, “I loved the illustrations in this book! They express perfectly the feeling of trying to get your child to bed when they are “not tired”!”

Alyssa's daughter Chandler also liked this book. When asked how happy the book made her, very unhappy, unhappy, neutral, happy, or very happy, she chose "happy." As for her favorite part, Chandler liked, "The kid falling asleep on top of the dad!"

Kate and Josiah

With a rating of five out of five stars, Kate said, “I like the hidden jokes for parents who know the original stories much better, but it's still a fun one for the kids. My favorite short stories in the book are little red riding hood and sleeping beauty.”

Kate's son Josiah (age 3) also rated this book as making him feel “happy”. He told us about his favorite parts, saying. “I liked the first page. I liked the three bears.” Referring to the book's take on Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Check out Once Upon a Time, the End (Asleep in 60 Seconds) and share your thoughts in the comments below!

Disclaimer: Please be aware that I am an Amazon affiliate and I earn from qualifying purchases through links in this blog post.

Let’s Talk Books! – Echo North, Thinking Outside the Books

Let’s Talk Books! started out as an issue of my monthly newsletter, where I tell my readers what books I am currently working through and do a little review of those books. While you will have to sign up for my newsletter to get the dish on the books I am currently reading, I decided it would be fun to include some new Let’s Talk Books! content on my blog! In Let’s Talk Books! - Blog Edition I will dive deeper into topics such as world-building, behind-the-scenes, and characters of newly completed books and books I grew up reading and still return to today!

The wolf glanced back, amber eyes and bone-white teeth flashing in the lamplight. "Welcome to the house under the mountain, my lady."

Quote from Echo North, by Joanna Ruth Meyer

To get this new blog category started, I wanted to discuss a story element from a book I recently completed, Echo North. Echo North is a beautiful fantasy novel by Joanna Ruth Meyer that contains a fun element I think was a wonderfully creative addition to the story. The element of this book I want to discuss today is the author’s unique creativity in taking real-world objects and making them come to life, specifically books.

SPOILER WARNING: I will try not to drop spoilers in Let’s Talk Books! posts, but just in case, I will leave spoiler warnings in articles that may contain book spoilers. So, consider this your in-post spoiler warning! If you have not read Echo North, now is an excellent time to save this post so you can return after reading the book.

All the frames were made, unusually, of leather, some soft and supple, some old and cracked. I couldn't place why they seemed familiar until I noticed that every mirror had a little gold description plate, many at the top, a few at the bottom or tilted sideways along either edge. Book spines ̶ they reminded me of book spines.

Quote from Echo North, by Joanna Ruth Meyer

The Books of Echo North

Echo North follows the story of Echo Alkaev, a girl struggling to cope with how her appearance has impacted her life. But things get interesting when she encounters an unusual situation involving a talking wolf and an enchanted house. Due to circumstances that I won’t give away here, Echo is tasked with caring for an enchanted house. Within this magical house, there is a special library filled with books. Early in her story, Echo discovers that these books have a unique quality; she can enter their pages and experience their stories! In fact, she can not only enter the stories, but she can also meet other people who enter the stories as well. Those who enter the books and the stories they contain can interact with the characters and plot of the books, even participating in the story without changing its course. This gives more than one character a form of entertainment, much like an interactive play. But that is not all it does.

Why Are These Books Such a Great Story Element?

There are a few reasons why I think these books in Echo North are such a great element of the story, but the one I would like to focus on is the creativity of building tension. We all know that fantasy books are filled with great examples of “thinking outside the box,” so to speak, and Echo North hits the nail on the head! Interactive books are not a new concept to the fantasy novel world, but this story presents the idea in its own light, specifically as a creative way to build tension within the main character and the reader.

How do these enchanted books offer a creative way to build tension? The books Echo discovers hold something, or someone, detrimental to her story. She doesn’t know that at first, but eventually, she begins to suspect it. Placing this character in the enchanted books is a brilliant, subtle way to hint at what is really going on. While I will not tell you what happens, I will say that because of these books, I was on the edge of my seat, hoping my theory of what was happening was true. In addition to this, Echo’s movement in and out of the books adds a unique time problem for all characters involved, adding to Echo’s fear, and the fear of the reader, that Echo will run out of time! What will she run out of time for? Well, you will just have to read the book and find out.

I wept in the snow and crumbled to ash, for I was only pages in a book, burned and lost and gone forever.

Quote from Echo North, by Joanna Ruth Meyer

This creative and emotional story was a exciting to read and full of great life lessons. As a writer, I love how the author used each element of the world she was building, but the books were my favorite!

Have you read Echo North? What did you think of the books Echo could jump into? Did you catch any other ways they added to the novel’s plot? Comment and let me know!

Writing Journal: Finding Inspiration

Dear Journal,

I always forget how inspiring the ocean is until I am standing on the sand, watching the waves crash over each other. One would think that it only offers one view, water. But it doesn't. There is water, but the view is always different! Especially when the tide is out!

I recently started scheduling time to get photos of things that inspire my writing and help me visualize locations in my fictional world. A lot of these photos are of items on the beaches I visit. When the tide is out, undersea worlds are revealed! Rocks shaped by waves reveal crevasses that are home to all kinds of little creatures. I have come to believe that few footprints on the beach are cuter than those left behind by tiny crabs. These little crabs live in places that look like simple crevasses, but when you take a photo just right or get down on their level, it's another world! The rocks become caves, with waves crashing through them. Each bend, if you look close enough, is filled with life! I was able to get some beautiful photos. They have already begun to inspire new stories. Moments like those spent exploring low tide get me fired up for writing!

I wonder what adventures await the characters who will walk these newly imagined places...

Sincerely,

Ondrea Keigh