Nice short and sweet read perfect for young girls or any age really. I was sad for poor Lauren, she seemed to be at war with herself. She loves dance but feels she shouldn’t be doing it anymore as a punishment to herself. On one hand she is mad at her dad for leaving, on the other she thinks it’s her fault for his accident. She also seems older than her years for wrestling with her feelings of staying in the dance school or leaving but wanting to do what is best for her mom, not herself. The character of Grace is great in helping Lauren realize her dreams and helping achieve them by stopping the bullying that is going on from another dancer who is jealous of the attention Lauren is receiving. I really enjoyed watching the sweet friendship of Lauren and Katie grow and, seeing the bully of the school, Allison, finally come to realize that the way she had been acting was only hurting herself in the end. This book has such sweet moments and nice lessons to be learned.
What a wonderfully written story that can be enjoyed by all ages. It’s a fast paced story I absolutely devoured. I’ve already told my twelve year old niece about it she’s excited about reading it. This is about a Ghost named Grace who has been haunting a house but when it gets turned into a girls ballet school she discovers her true passion . Follow along with Grace and her friends as she takes on her new passion and find out what happens next. I look forward to reading more from this Author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Dawn Daughenbaughhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDawn Daughenbaugh2021-01-29 14:05:162021-01-29 15:25:30The Graceful Ghost by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh
The graceful ghost is a very sweet story. It’s definitely aimed at young adults and children however I would say it’s suitable to read at any age. Eleanor Dixon does a great job of bringing her characters to life. Grace is now a ghost and her home has been turn into a school. Grace is stuck in what to do she’s stuck until she can help another. It’s such a sweet book to read.
I enjoyed this book. It would be great for middle schoolers and I think they would find it entertaining. This is a well written story about a ghost named Grace. She has been haunting a house. Grace realizes her own passion when the house becomes a girl’s ballet school. Her fellow ghost friend Rodney and a girl who enrolls at the school are just the ones to help her achieve her passion. I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens with this little group. This is an engaging story that is fast paced and has some humor to it. It also takes on some emotional issues as well. I really enjoyed the characters and what they bring to the story. This was fun and entertaining to read.
I really enjoyed this story. Its a lovely book for anyone but especially young adults. The story is fast paced from the beginning and keeps you wanting more. The characters are well written and the author does q good job of setting the scene.
Grace is a ghost. Her former home has now been turned into a ballet school for girls. She is stuck roaming the school but longs to break the spell so she can go to other places. All she has to do is help on person fulfill their dream.
Lauren is a promising dancer who has a scholarship to the school. She has amazing talent but things in her past are holding her back.
Can Grace help Lauren overcome her past to succeed and get her dream? Or will Lauren be unable to let go and allow Grace to help her?
THE GRACEFUL GHOST: A story for girls rich with authentic ballet school detail and sparkling with ghostly mischief by Eleanor Dixon is a delightful children’s fantasy story. This sweet little tale is about a young girl who loves dance and ballet and longs to see one herself. The only problem is she is a ghost. With heart-warming characters, it is an engaging story that any little girl will fall in love with.
The Graceful Ghost by Eleanor Dixon is a wonderful story for a Young person to read. Its about wanting something more than anything and finding out that sometimes there are more important things than what you want. Its about finding happiness in the happiness of others and turning loose of the things that hold you back. You find all of this wrapped up in a sweet little story about friendships and encouragement. If your looking for a great book for a book minded young girl who loves all things ballet, this one will do the trick, and you will enjoy it too.
“Grace smoothed her petticoats and tossed back her ringlets. At last, she would be able to tell Lauren what she’d done, and then, finally she would be free to flit around the world like Rodney and visit Amberwood only when she felt like it. She clasped her hands in front of her blue over-frock and set her most welcoming smile on her face. Bursting with a mixture of nerves and excitement, Grace became visible and waited for Lauren to turn round.”
The Graceful Ghost is a sweet and whimsical Children’s story by Eleanor Dixon. The story has some paranormal details, ghosts, spells, magic, ballet school/dancing, music, historical details, self-discovery, following your dreams, being true to yourself, friendship, drama, mean girls, teenage angst, and plenty of fun. Grace is a ghost whose home for the past 200 years has been converted into a boarding school focused on ballet training. The dance school ignites Grace’s love of dancing, leaving her yearning to see ballet dancing come to life on stage- witness a grand production for herself. That should be simple, right- after all her friend Rodney, who is also a ghost, can come and go as he pleases. But as things turn out, there is a spell that ties Grace to the house. So, if she has any chance of ever fulfilling her wish- then she will need to find a way to break the spell. Let the fun and adventure begin. A great little story for all ages!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Hayeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Hayes2021-01-14 21:46:502021-01-15 05:31:09The Graceful Ghost by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Angela Hayes
This is the story of Grace, the ghost of a little girl who is bound to Amberwood Hall, the place she was born and died in, she wants to be able to leave, but can’t and Lauren, a young girl who wants to dance but cannot let herself do it with the addition of fun loving Rodney, a fellow ghost of a stable boy and friend of Grace’s. It starts with Grace and Rodney sat in a tree watching the new arrivals to the school pull up in their fancy cars ready for the days auditions, they are talking about who Grace might be able to help to realise their dream so she can realise hers, but none of the girls are standing out as yet, Grace is getting a little frustrated but can still laugh at Rodney when he tries to do ballet as he leaps out of the tree and straight into the path of a car, this is where Grace has a feeling she may have found her girl. Next she goes into the changing rooms to see if she was right, as she listens to the conversations, she hears the same old things and moves further in, then she finds her, Lauren, as she gets her number, her mum suggests she warms up, Grace notices how flexible and soft she is and begins to think that she might be mistaken, that is until the actual audition starts and Lauren transforms into someone completely different, she is stiff, has no balance and is surrounded by a wall of negative energy, but Grace needed Lauren at the school so she could help her, so she made the decision to sing into her ear and help her to release the negativity and dance to her full potential and she ends up doing just that and winning the scholarship, so believing she had done her bit, Grace tries to leave, but is unable to, much to her disappointment and unfortunately Lauren had already left by then.
When the new term arrived and all the girls came back to the boarding school, so did Lauren, but she didn’t seem as happy as Grace thought she should be, but when she tried to speak to her, Lauren just could not see or hear her, this was extremely frustrating for Grace, but she was determined to get to the bottom of Lauren’s issue with dancing and so decided to be patient after talking it over with Rodney. As Lauren settles in to her new dormitory, she feels really cold and all of a sudden a picture falls off the wall and smashes, this startles her from feeling so annoyed at herself for passing the audition, it was her mum’s dream and not hers and she was determined not to enjoy it after everything that had happened, she was also disappointed in herself for passing the audition and getting the scholarship, while also realising how different she was to the other girls and when two walk into the dormitory, one seems nice, but the other one is snarky and acted as though they might catch something off her, so when they leave to go and get supper. As Lauren goes to report the broken picture to Matron, she is waylaid by the sound of her favourite opera music coming from the top of some stairs, when she goes to investigate she finds that it is an old rehearsal studio and feeling the sudden need to dance, she does, until the supper bell sounds and she rushes so she isn’t late.
At supper, all the new girls are asked to stand up when their names are called so that nobody feels like they don’t know anyone, the nice girl from earlier sits with Lauren and starts talking with her, Grace follows her the whole time to try and get to know her a bit better, but when classes start and Lauren goes back to how she danced during the start of her audition, Grace tries even harder to get her attention. The term progresses and Lauren becomes more friendly with one girl, but the others aren’t nice to her at all, but talking to her mum helps her realise that maybe her being there is a good thing after all, she sounds better than she did a couple of months ago, but Lauren still feels the negativity whenever she goes to dance. Can Lauren, Grace work together, or will they both be trapped by their pasts and unable to move on and where does Rodney fit into all of this? This is a heartwarming tale with some fun, competition and a lot of ballet, a great novel for children and adults to escape into alike.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Roxsanne Lesieurhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRoxsanne Lesieur2021-01-14 17:04:062021-01-14 21:12:22THE GRACEFUL GHOST: A story for girls rich with authentic ballet school detail and sparkling with ghostly mischief by Eleanor Dixon – Reviewed by Roxsanne Lesieur.
The Graceful Ghost: A story for girls rich with authentic ballet school detail and sparkling with ghostly mischief by Eleanor Dixon is a truly delightful story that is suitable for a wide range of audiences. I thought this book was sweet and heart warming – a story of one girl trying to navigate her problems and help in the form of an unlikely source. The running theme throughout the book is that of overwhelming strength and the confidence to turn things around. Although this book is probably aimed more at a younger audience this really is suitable for all to read – and is interesting and well written enough for all to enjoy. I would highly recommend getting this book today!
THE GRACEFUL GHOST: A story for girls rich with authentic ballet school detail and sparkling with ghostly mischief by Eleanor Dixon is a delightful story for all ages. I am always on the lookout for stories to share with my niece and this fits the bill perfectly. The story gives a good example of strength and courage through the actions of the characters. Also, the main character being a ghost in a building that has become a ballet school. I really enjoyed the story and the message and will keep an eye out for more books from this author.
This story was a beautiful find and one that I plowed through. I found the characters charming and the premise delightful. This teaches some beautiful lessons to the intended younger audience as well as reminder older readers of the same. Courage, conviction – I truly believe this is a story I will read for myself again and I cannot wait to share it with my daughters.
Grace has haunted her ancestral home, Amberwood Hall, for 200 years. However, it wasn’t until it became a girls’ ballet school that she discovered her passion for the art. Now she has a burning desire to visit live ballet performances and experience the thrill of thunderous applause. But she can’t leave Amberwood!
Her fellow ghost, former stable boy Rodney (who can go anywhere he wants) has discovered that if Grace can help someone achieve their dream, she will be free of the spell that binds her.
So when twelve-year-old Lauren Mason auditions for a place at the school, Grace decides she’s the one. It seems though that Lauren is so wrapped up in problems she can’t dance, and she won’t let Grace help. Is another year to go by without Grace achieving her own dreams? Or can she break down Lauren’s defences?
A timeless, fast paced story combines humour and emotional conflict with the world of ballet boarding school.
My school life was spent in a girls’ boarding-school specialising in classical ballet and on leaving I danced professionally, touring Europe, for 4 years. After that I ran my own ballet school in Athens, Greece for a number of years and simultaneously volunteered as a veterinary nurse, as my love of animals is the driving force in my life. I returned to England with my horse and my cat, and now live on a smallholding in Shropshire with various farm animals and a constant stream of pets.
I started writing while in Greece and completed a Creative Writing Course with the Writers’ Bureau. The same year, I won an annual competition in the Writing Magazine for an adult Fairy Story.
On my return to England I wrote two children’s books, but my new life, caring for Highland Cattle, sheep, hens and pets, coupled with extensive global travel, meant that writing for publication took a back seat. I continued my love of writing with a daily journal and amusing travel blogs of each trip.
I am now writing full time and THE GRACEFUL GHOST draws on my own experiences in ballet-boarding-school and my early teenage life, including divorced parents and a father who ‘took the dog’.
I am currently working on a 6 book series called TALLY AND THE ANGEL. Tally and her angel’s first adventure takes them to India. In the second book they go to Canada, in North Yukon and the third in Japan. I intend them to have adventures in Greece, Egypt, Peru – anywhere I have been, really.
Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jólasveinar By Heidi Herman 5 out of 5 stars
I loved reading the book Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jólasveinar by Heidi Herman. It is a story that is a delight to read by young and old. It is a book that is based on legend and will have you hooked from the very beginning. I wasn’t able to put it down until I had read the final page. The characters are intriguing and interesting. The basis of the book is intriguing as well as one that has to be read to understand and enjoyed. The author does an amazing job of making both the story and the characters come alive. Don’t miss out on an amazing story that is exciting and entertaining. I highly recommend reading it.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Laura Furutahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLaura Furuta2020-12-16 14:33:542020-12-16 14:33:54Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jólasveinar by Heidi Herman – Review by Laura Furuta
Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jolasveinar by Heidi Herman is a lovely “untraditional” Christmas story that is really heart warming and unique. This isn’t the usual story that everyone will know and associate with Christmas, instead focusing on an Icelandic tradition. I really enjoyed reading this to my daughter as it gave a little extra something to the build up to Christmas. This book is definitely one that will become a yearly tradition for us. Not only is it fun and entertaining to read but it is a fantastic way to introduce children to the ways in which other cultures celebrate this time of year. My daughter loved the story which alone would have been enough to make me read it again however I also found it appealing and enjoyed every moment. This is a brilliant book and one I would recommend!
This is the story of how thirteen troll brothers find that all the pranks, stealing of items and mischief that they are used to, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
When the first troll arrives and starts getting up to the same old mischief he always does, he is seen by a human and makes the boy a gift to persuade him to keep his secret, but when the boy does keep the troll’s secret and then the next morning finds the gift as well, he is happy.
The troll sees that the boy is happy with his gift and is confused to begin with, but when he feels happy as well and tells his brother troll’s what has happened, a chain reaction begins and a whole new world of happiness and smiles are brought into the troll’s world.
This is a lovely short story which is a modern take on an Icelandic Legend of The Yule Lads, it is a tale which shows that even something that starts off as selfish can be changed into something wonderful when done for the right reasons, it is a quick read and one which children and adults alike will enjoy.
Such a cute story. I am planning to read it to my children and also ask the kiddos in my book club to read it. It is a folklore based out of Iceland where 13 Yule lad kids always go to a village to kidnap naughty children. They take back the children to their mother who is a troll to make a stew. This year, they decide to leave little gifts and presents to children instead of capturing the children. They understand the joy of giving and realize the euphoria when you see someone happy with your actions. A fun and enjoyable read, I don’t mind giving it to my boys!!!
Yule Lads Legend by Heidi Herman was a cute little Christmas story! It was a quick read, and a very descriptive tale at that. It was interesting to read another cultures Christmas fable/legend/tale, and to me it was reminiscent of the Twelve Days if Christmas song, but in book form. This story was a retelling, and I will assume it did its job very well, since I haven’t read the original tale before. This was a great Christmas story that I would recommend for kids of all ages during the holiday season.
Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jólasveinar by Heidi Herman Five Stars
Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jólasveinar is a wonderful Christmas Tale based on Iceland folklore by Heidi Herman. This is a great book for all ages. I read this book to my seven year old nephew and he was in awe. The illustrations are amazing. This is the perfect book to find the happiness in giving. I highly recommend adding this book to your Christmas storytelling tradition.
This book is a cute book with amazing illustrations. It is a sweet Christmas story about a Christmas Troll who has been seen by a shepherd boy. Now the shepherd boy needs to keep the secret. Will the Christmas Troll spread the Christmas spirit? What will the shepherd boy learn from this story? This is a cute fable that I will be sharing with my family. I recommend this book to all.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Erica Fishhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngErica Fish2020-12-10 17:00:482020-12-10 22:28:03Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jólasveinar by Heidi Herman – Review by Erica Fish
Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jólasveinar by Heidi Herman is a children’s tale about a legend that is a part of Iceland’s folklore history. This little gem is a fun Christmas story that shares part of their history and traditions. Heidi’s telling is original and kept my grandbabies enthralled as we shared the story. They wanted to know if we could adopt the tradition because they would get more fun, games and presents leading up to Christmas day.
With Thirteen troll’s life is interesting and full of mischief and mayhem, happiness and fun. This is a must read to share with your family and friends.
This is a cute Christmas story which I had never heard before but I found it enjoyable. It is perfect to read to children as it contains aspects children love such as trolls but also shares the message that Christmas is just about taking but that by giving we can also be happy.
There are 13 Yule Lads who’s mother is the evil troll. Every year they go into villages to cause trouble and take naughty children back to their mother to be made into stew.
However this year, instead of just causing trouble the Yule Lads start leaving little gifts for the children and they realise how amazing it is to see someone happy through their actions.
I just love this little gem of a holiday tale. I shared this with my children all from ages 13 to 6 months and they were engrossed in the story and loved the ‘real elves on the shelf’ as the would say. It is fun and enthralling and felt like a small escape to Iceland. I love sharing different cultures and traditions from all over the world with my children and this is the perfect book to do that. I have a feeling this will now be a new tradition for us as we read this together each holiday season. This is one you don’t want to miss!
Yule Lads I’d a lush short story to read. It’s a Very original storytelling with alot of creativity. The trolls bring a enchanting elements which makes it an fun interesting read. It’s nice to see Iceland version of the Christmas legends. Folk tales are extremely diverse.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Piperhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngPiper2020-12-05 10:31:342020-12-05 10:31:34Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jólasveinar by Heidi Herman – Review by Piper Foster
Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jólasveinar by Heidi Herman is a retelling of an Icelandic folktale. It is a very original Christmas tale full of wonderful detail and creative elements. With Trolls bringing this story to life, you just know that it will be an interesting and fun read. I loved that we get to see a snippet of Iceland’s wonderfully unique folktale history through this clever retelling of an ancient story. Yule Lads Legend is well worth the read!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Hayeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Hayes2020-12-01 14:21:302020-12-01 14:21:30Yule Lads Legend: Iceland’s Jólasveinar by Heidi Herman – Review by Angela Hayes
This children book was an interesting, quick read. I believe this book would be better to read if you purchase the real book rather than an e-book. The themes and writing style was intriguing for my younger sister. However, it seems like it would be better for older children rather those that are younger. Overall, it was a great Christmas story and very joyful.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Rochelle Fergusonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRochelle Ferguson2020-11-27 11:09:512020-11-27 11:09:51The First Noel: A Tale of Friendship by Clare Johnson – Review by Rochelle Ferguson
5 Star The First Noel: A Tale of Friendship by Clare Johnson
What a way to start off the Holiday season but with this adorable little book about love and friendship. . I loved the fact that it’s about the birth of Christ and 2 girls who become friends but drift apart because of the wise mans daughter thought the shepard’s daughter was beneath her because she’s poor. The message is this . Love one another no matter what your background is. Treat people the way you want to be treated. My two and a half loved this story and asked me several times to read “Christmas “ to him . I think this is a wonderful book to read no matter your age. I highly recommend reading this I know we truly enjoyed and look forward to reading more from this Author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Dawn Daughenbaughhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDawn Daughenbaugh2020-11-26 05:42:572020-11-26 05:42:57The First Noel: A Tale of Friendship by Clare Johnson – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh
Clare Johnson’s tale of Jesus’ birth is beautifully illustrated. The book is a poetry in motion book. In the abstract of the story, there is a separate message of acceptance, social diversity, and love of your neighbors. This story is about a shepherd girl who loves someone above her social status. The lessons told throughout the story can be life lessons for the young and the young at heart. I enjoyed this tale of The First Noel and I recommend it for all ages.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Erica Fishhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngErica Fish2020-11-25 14:15:242020-11-25 14:15:24The First Noel: A Tale of Friendship by Clare Johnson – Review by Erica Fish
The First Noel: A Tale of Friendship by Clare Johnson is a heartwarming and beautiful story agony friendship in the face of adversity. It is a lovely retelling and comes with some stunning pictures to illustrate the words the author has penned. This felt like such a lovely family story, one that I would happily read to my daughter and is one that I picture reading each year around Christmas as a new tradition. I Think having the pictures there really helped to keep my little one interested as well – she kept pointing out different things and commenting as we went along. Reading it for myself I found it to be sweet story that I could really get behind. This is a well written book and it is certainly worth your time.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kerry Bakerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKerry Baker2020-11-25 12:16:052020-11-25 12:16:05The First Noel: A Tale of Friendship by Clare Johnson – Review by Kerry Baker
I enjoyed this book. I really love how this is not a typically Christmas story, at least in America. The trolls are mean at first and try to help get the bad kids to Gryla, but then one Christmas they decide to be more on the nice side and provide the kids with presents. It is nice to see that even though these presents are very basic, the children are happy, which in turn makes the trolls feel joy. It seems they will no longer try to lure the bad children, but continue to make them happy. I really like how the trolls want nothing in return except for the satisfaction of making someone else smile, that is very good lesson to teach children.
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