Wow, Zizzle is here," is how my daughter reacted when she saw this issue. Upon being asked what appealed to her, a quick answer shot through. "It has children in it".
A girl of strong opinions, this 8-year-old reader loves to ponder over stories she has read and articulate her thoughts about it.
The Magazine:
Zizzle is a literary magazine that targets confident readers and grown up minds, still young at heart. The stories are clever - the messages are subtle, without being preachy or obvious.The stories are clearly marked so that the reader is aware of its readability. We found it very convenient especially when my daughter was making her choices.
What works:
- My daughter and I enjoyed reading the stories. However, we found that going through the inspiration before reading the actual story made it an enjoyable experience. It was fascinating to see how the writer's idea blooms out to form a complete piece. A great tool to illustrate the mechanics of creative writing or just to understand good stories better.
- The quotes that shine in between the pages are a great device. My favourite line is:
The anonymous quote truly encapsulated my passion for reading.
Who will like them more:
My daughter loved most of the stories. But I could see that older readers who can understand metaphor and inference will enjoy it even more. These stories have depth and layers - a nod to the high writing quality and the standard of the writers.
- The first story Child of the first spark portrays the pressures of being a today's child and what a child wants. The Gift of Everness and Nuclear Missiles are Coming Our Way are also well written stories with a strong underlining message. It was an absolute pleasure picking these miniature delights to read at bedtime.
- My daughter however has her own favourites. It was hands down No-school day. Her reason? She could see herself as the girl in the story and "the girl uses her imagination even if there was no school."
- Janita Peperkamp's illustrations are beautifully done and they enhance the stories. It breathes life into the book. Her piece on how she approaches a painting offers great insight into her working style.
Who will like them more:
My daughter loved most of the stories. But I could see that older readers who can understand metaphor and inference will enjoy it even more. These stories have depth and layers - a nod to the high writing quality and the standard of the writers.
In a Nutshell:
I can easily visualise zizzle in a book club discussion. Stories short enough to be read out and then students or a group of friends sharing their views about the story.
I can easily visualise zizzle in a book club discussion. Stories short enough to be read out and then students or a group of friends sharing their views about the story.
A masterclass on what makes good stories. A great collection that shows how they are done.
Recommended.
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