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Publisher:
LionX Publishing |
Release
Date: February 2004 |
ISBN:
0-9176085-3-9 |
Awards:
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Format
Reviewed: Trade Paperback |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Children’s Chapter Book (ages 8 and up) |
Reviewed:
2004 |
Reviewer:
Kristin Johnson |
Reviewer
Notes: Kristin Johnson, the founder of PoemsForYou.com,
released her second book; CHRISTMAS COOKIES ARE FOR GIVING,
co-written with Mimi Cummins, in October 2003. Her third book,
ORDINARY MIRACLES: My Incredible Spiritual, Artistic and Scientific
Journey, co-written with Sir Rupert A.L. Perrin, M.D., is now
available from PublishAmerica. |
Copyright
MyShelf.com |
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Destiny,
Valor and a lizard named Louie
By Michael Ambrosio
Take
Harry Potter mixed with Simba of “The Lion King,” cross
him with an orphaned prince named Louie, mix in some life lessons
and vocabulary/reading comprehension lessons, and you get the delightful
Destiny, Valor and a Lizard named Louie by Michael Ambrosio.
What “Finding Nemo” did for fish, Louie does for lizards.
There is a strong father-son relationship, minus Harry Potter’s
connection to his mother Lily Evans Potter.
Why
is it that mothers are always absent from fairy tales and fables?
Disney didn’t invent the disappearing mother, either. Charles
Perrault and the Brothers Grimm often removed the mother from the
picture, although ARABIAN NIGHTS included a mother for Aladdin.
Much like Louie’s story, the Disney version of Aladdin concentrates
on the father-child relationship. Also, in Louie’s story,
a young lizard named Marie gets saved from death by her father’s
sacrifice, and Marie and Louie later help rescue another father
figure, Talis, from the chameleons. In addition, Louie’s foster
father is killed as part of a chameleon plot to make Louie vulnerable
so that the chameleons can set Louie, the true prince, up as an
ersatz chameleon king.
One
wonders if this emphasis on the role of the father is intentional.
The resemblance to the French Revolution, with names such as Louie
and Marie, may also be intentional. After all, the principles of
the French Revolution led to many of the philosophy of the American
Founding Fathers. Speaking of politics, as we approach Decision
2004 and deal with incessant whining about no WMD, adults and kids
may appreciate the marvelous political commentary about “chameleon
deception…that had you believing you were a chameleon…that
seems so real, so rooted in truth, that most believe it. It’s
hard to explain, but the deception plays to the victim’s weaknesses.
It has a power all its own. It can separate the best of friends,
and it can fool the smartest of lizards.”
Which
brings a troubling thought: who are the chameleons in our midst?
Better listen to our mothers, our fathers, and our own valor. We,
like Louie, can discover the brave blue-belly within and embrace
our destiny.
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