“Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island is not only a fun action packed adventure it is a treasure hunt for the story itself. Readers are challenged to make choices as to whether or not the story could end before it really gets started. Readers have the option to end the story as they see fit. Chapter… Continue reading Review — Treasure Island
Tag: retellings
Treasure Island Kickstarter
So . . . my adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island is written, edited, laid out, and ready for the printer. Now I wait. Since I will have copies in hand later this fall, I’ve launched a Kickstarter project to help me with marketing. I’ll be working with a publicist, having cases of books… Continue reading Treasure Island Kickstarter
Review — Greek Mythology’s Adventures of Perseus
With the reader as the main character, Greek Mythology’s Adventures of Perseus by Blake Hoena follows the tradition of the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books so popular with middle grade readers in the 1980s and 1990s. Perseus belongs to a series called “Can You Survive?” that repurposes the concept of the reader making choices by… Continue reading Review — Greek Mythology’s Adventures of Perseus
Treasure Island — cover color study
Here’s a color study of the cover for my adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Treasure Island. Elizabeth Hurley (not to be confused with the famous actress/model) is illustrating it. She also worked on the cover for my Perseus adaptation. In the background floats the Hispaniola, with the Jolly Roger flying from her topmast. And… Continue reading Treasure Island — cover color study
Treasure Island — cover sketch
One of my current projects is a choose-your-path adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Treasure Island. It’s the book that impressed upon us our modern ideas of what pirates were like—how they acted and spoke. It was also a childhood favorite of mine, and one of the first books I recall actually wanting to read.… Continue reading Treasure Island — cover sketch
Review — Greek Mythology’s Adventure’s of Perseus
Greek mythology is filled with tricky creatures with ill intent. Greek Mythology’s Adventures of Perseus is a choose-your-own-adventure book from Blake Hoena who presents an adventure of survival for young readers as they are faced with the nasty creatures of Greek mythology and what they can to survive and finish their arduous quest. Greek Mythology’s… Continue reading Review — Greek Mythology’s Adventure’s of Perseus
Review — Jack and the Beanstalk
Great retelling and cool artwork. It made the list of top 20 books preferred by struggling 4th and 5th grade readers. Renaissance Learning puts out a “What Kids Are Reading” study each year where—oddly enough—kids share the titles of the books they most enjoy reading. This book made the 2011 list. And for good reason.… Continue reading Review — Jack and the Beanstalk
Review — Perseus and Medusa
Best of all it’s a graphic novel! Anyone who likes mythology should read this book – young OR old! But, I don’t think it would be appropriate for kids younger than first grade because of the violence and the myths may be confusing to those who do not know about mythological gods. I like almost… Continue reading Review — Perseus and Medusa
Review — Perseus and Medusa
This full-color graphic novel is an adaptation of the Greek myth of the hero half-god Perseus. A king demands that Perseus retrieve Medusa’s head. Thus the first trial of this hero begins. The goddess Athena helps him along the way. The graphic novel details his assistance from the nymphs and Hermes, Perseus’ trickery with the… Continue reading Review — Perseus and Medusa
Review — Perseus and Medusa
Young Perseus grows up unaware of his royal birth. Before he can claim his heritage, the hero is ordered to slay a hideous monster named Medusa, whose gaze turns men into solid stone. How can he fight an enemy he cannot even look at? Review: A great retelling of the famous myth in graphic novel… Continue reading Review — Perseus and Medusa