Wayne Gerard Trotman
Wayne Gerard Trotman is a British award-winning writer, filmmaker, artist, photographer, composer and producer of electronic music. Born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, he immigrated to England in 1984 where he studied painting under Daphne Todd OBE at the Heatherley School of Fine Art in Chelsea, London.
In 1985, his acrylic painting, ‘Psychedelic Eric’, was chosen for the London Youth Festival Exhibition. Between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, Trotman produced compositions for British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB); as well as low budget independent film productions. He completed his second feature film script titled ‘Ashes to Ashes’ in 1994; and in 1995, his short film – ‘London: Metropolis of the Future’ premiered at the British Short Film Festival. Trotman, who has trained in several martial arts disciplines, directed, co-produced, scored and edited the British independent film Ashes to Ashes in 1998 - arguably the world’s first digital feature film and Britain’s first martial arts movie. He also played the film’s lead role of Gabriel Darbeaux and used real martial arts weapons including the nunchaku or two-piece rod.
In 2006, Trotman co-produced a training DVD, which tackles the cause of anxiety and panic attacks: The Fight or Flight Response. Shortly after the birth of his second son, he embarked on what would become a 3-year labour of love - writing 'Veterans of the Psychic Wars.' This stand-alone epic novel pays homage to his lifelong love of science fiction and is lovingly dedicated to his mother and her sister. As with all his work, 'Veterans of the Psychic Wars' offers a multicultural experience. It contains words, names and phrases from over 24 languages including Ancient Egyptian, Sumerian, Armenian, Sanskrit, Hebrew and Swahili. This is complemented by references to ancient history, myth and religion, and supplemented by appendices and an extensive 8-page glossary of terms.
In 2012, Trotman released the eBook, 'Ashes to Ashes: Screenplay' and became Kingston upon Thames adult intellectual chess champion. In January 2014, he was at number one on the ReverbNation Electronica music chart for the UK and 6th globally.
Between 2010 and 2015, Trotman wrote the first instalment of the ‘Kairi Chronicles’ titled 'Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest', which is also set in the fictional universe he created for Veterans of the Psychic Wars. Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest is a coming-of-age, science-fiction adventure story set in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and presented with much of its dialogue in authentic Trinidadian Creole. The epic novel explores the culture of Trinidad and Tobago and combines legends and characters from Trinbago folklore, including Papa Bois, Soucouyant, Douen and Mama Dlo, with the themes of wildlife conservation, redemption, and forgiveness. The novel was academically reviewed in Supernatural Literature, a 3-volume encyclopaedia published by St. James Press covering the literature of the supernatural across the canon, including such notable works as Shakespeare's Hamlet, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Following his first visit to Cuba, in 2015, Trotman published two photographic books celebrating the unique history and culture of the island: ‘Images of Cuba’ and ‘Classic Cars of Cuba’. In 2016, he collaborated with his wife, Sherrie, to produce the premium hardcover cookbook, ‘Rum & Red Peppers: 80 Caribbean, Armenian, Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Recipes’.
In October 2019, Trotman announced the publication of the first of six illustrated children's books under the umbrella of ‘Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories’. ‘The Last Honey Bee’ aims to educate young children regarding the importance of honey bees while urging them not to harm these important pollinators. In rhyme, the book introduces the worker bee, Manderlee, and illustrates the differences between honey bees and other insects such as wasps. To help create a better environment for bees, children are encouraged to plant wildflowers. ‘A Tiger’s Tale’ draws attention to the plight of the critically endangered Sumatran tiger and also depicts the Sumatran rhino, Sumatran elephant and Sumatran orangutan.
Wayne Gerard Trotman is the most quoted author of Caribbean origin. His photographs are available via Getty Images, and he runs the award-winning blog: Red Moon Chronicle for which he has interviewed some of the biggest names in science fiction and fantasy, including Syd Mead, John Howe, Alan Dean Foster, Robert J. Sawyer, Linda Nagata, Chris Moore, Fred Gambino and Kevin J. Anderson.
In 1985, his acrylic painting, ‘Psychedelic Eric’, was chosen for the London Youth Festival Exhibition. Between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, Trotman produced compositions for British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB); as well as low budget independent film productions. He completed his second feature film script titled ‘Ashes to Ashes’ in 1994; and in 1995, his short film – ‘London: Metropolis of the Future’ premiered at the British Short Film Festival. Trotman, who has trained in several martial arts disciplines, directed, co-produced, scored and edited the British independent film Ashes to Ashes in 1998 - arguably the world’s first digital feature film and Britain’s first martial arts movie. He also played the film’s lead role of Gabriel Darbeaux and used real martial arts weapons including the nunchaku or two-piece rod.
In 2006, Trotman co-produced a training DVD, which tackles the cause of anxiety and panic attacks: The Fight or Flight Response. Shortly after the birth of his second son, he embarked on what would become a 3-year labour of love - writing 'Veterans of the Psychic Wars.' This stand-alone epic novel pays homage to his lifelong love of science fiction and is lovingly dedicated to his mother and her sister. As with all his work, 'Veterans of the Psychic Wars' offers a multicultural experience. It contains words, names and phrases from over 24 languages including Ancient Egyptian, Sumerian, Armenian, Sanskrit, Hebrew and Swahili. This is complemented by references to ancient history, myth and religion, and supplemented by appendices and an extensive 8-page glossary of terms.
In 2012, Trotman released the eBook, 'Ashes to Ashes: Screenplay' and became Kingston upon Thames adult intellectual chess champion. In January 2014, he was at number one on the ReverbNation Electronica music chart for the UK and 6th globally.
Between 2010 and 2015, Trotman wrote the first instalment of the ‘Kairi Chronicles’ titled 'Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest', which is also set in the fictional universe he created for Veterans of the Psychic Wars. Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest is a coming-of-age, science-fiction adventure story set in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and presented with much of its dialogue in authentic Trinidadian Creole. The epic novel explores the culture of Trinidad and Tobago and combines legends and characters from Trinbago folklore, including Papa Bois, Soucouyant, Douen and Mama Dlo, with the themes of wildlife conservation, redemption, and forgiveness. The novel was academically reviewed in Supernatural Literature, a 3-volume encyclopaedia published by St. James Press covering the literature of the supernatural across the canon, including such notable works as Shakespeare's Hamlet, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Following his first visit to Cuba, in 2015, Trotman published two photographic books celebrating the unique history and culture of the island: ‘Images of Cuba’ and ‘Classic Cars of Cuba’. In 2016, he collaborated with his wife, Sherrie, to produce the premium hardcover cookbook, ‘Rum & Red Peppers: 80 Caribbean, Armenian, Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Recipes’.
In October 2019, Trotman announced the publication of the first of six illustrated children's books under the umbrella of ‘Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories’. ‘The Last Honey Bee’ aims to educate young children regarding the importance of honey bees while urging them not to harm these important pollinators. In rhyme, the book introduces the worker bee, Manderlee, and illustrates the differences between honey bees and other insects such as wasps. To help create a better environment for bees, children are encouraged to plant wildflowers. ‘A Tiger’s Tale’ draws attention to the plight of the critically endangered Sumatran tiger and also depicts the Sumatran rhino, Sumatran elephant and Sumatran orangutan.
Wayne Gerard Trotman is the most quoted author of Caribbean origin. His photographs are available via Getty Images, and he runs the award-winning blog: Red Moon Chronicle for which he has interviewed some of the biggest names in science fiction and fantasy, including Syd Mead, John Howe, Alan Dean Foster, Robert J. Sawyer, Linda Nagata, Chris Moore, Fred Gambino and Kevin J. Anderson.
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Veterans of the Psychic Wars
Military Science Fiction
Thought is more dangerous than you think...Roman Doyle has been living a normal life as a married 25-year-old schoolteacher. When five large men attack him, he’s confident in his ability to defend himself. But, this isn’t an ordinary mugging. Roman doesn’t know that he is Prince Sakara, heir apparent of the True Emperor of a distant galaxy and his muggers are agents, sent to kill him.
Roman’s life is saved by Chi-Ro Jin, a Veteran of the Psychic Wars. Chi-Ro’s mission is to secure Roman’s help in an interstellar battle between the forces of his father, the Emperor, and those of his uncle, the Baron.
Chi-Ro injects Roman with an alien drug that awakens Roman’s dormant psychic and astral abilities and he discovers a shocking alien plot that threatens humanity. Will Roman be able to overcome his fears, master the martial art of Hatari Ikou, and learn the secrets of astral projection?
Follow this epic journey to the Cosmic Sea where Roman faces evil and danger in uncharted space, as he attempts to rescue his wife, retrieve the sword of power, and end the Second Psychic Wars.
In 2021, Veterans of the Psychic Wars won a Literary Titan Book Award.
Reviews:
"This is a great book! The actions starts in the first paragraph and doesn’t stop until the last with no slowing down." ~ Tony-Paul ('A Splash of Scarlet' Blog).
"‘Star Wars’ meets ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ is a fine description of Veterans of the Psychic Wars, as long as you realize that the hero isn’t a wimp like Luke Skywalker and that the amazing warriors of Crouching Tiger would be toast before this story hits its stride." ~ Clayton Clifford Bye (Professional Reviewer).
"‘Veterans of the Psychic Wars’ is a ‘heroic mono-myth’ as described by Joseph Campbell in his book ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces’; as such, fans of ‘Star Wars’, ‘The Matrix’, or ‘Dune’ should enjoy it. I highly recommend this book." ~ The Dark (Smashwords Reviewer)
“Veterans of the Psychic Wars was a real thrill to read… It has everything a good story should have with various sub-plots, conflicted characters, interesting twists and edge-of the seat alien encounters.” ~ Sonya Iovieno (Amazon Reviewer)
"I highly recommend this book if you are a Sci-fi lover for it has everything you are looking for; Star Wars meets Enter the Dragon. Be prepared to be hanging off the edge of your seat wanting more." ~ Rayven ('Darkiss Reads' Blog).
“This is a well written and well thought out book… [It has] some of the imperialistic feel of Dune (Frank Herbert), the ideas from the Matrix (training within dream worlds), the Primes within the Talents (Anne McCaffrey), and the technology of Babylon 5 and Star Wars.” ~ Mike Thompson (Amazon Reviewer)
“I was thrilled to come across Veterans of the Psychic Wars. It really is a sweeping, old style space opera in form, but with a depth of detail and personality development beyond anything I have read in a long time… The evolving personal interactions, not always positive, between friends, mentors and ambiguous allies old and new all serve to ground the narrative convincingly. It also has to be said, the ultimate enemies here are stomach-churningly gruesome.” ~ Oana (Amazon Reviewer)
Sample Chapter
Thought is more dangerous than you think...Roman Doyle has been living a normal life as a married 25-year-old schoolteacher. When five large men attack him, he’s confident in his ability to defend himself. But, this isn’t an ordinary mugging. Roman doesn’t know that he is Prince Sakara, heir apparent of the True Emperor of a distant galaxy and his muggers are agents, sent to kill him.
Roman’s life is saved by Chi-Ro Jin, a Veteran of the Psychic Wars. Chi-Ro’s mission is to secure Roman’s help in an interstellar battle between the forces of his father, the Emperor, and those of his uncle, the Baron.
Chi-Ro injects Roman with an alien drug that awakens Roman’s dormant psychic and astral abilities and he discovers a shocking alien plot that threatens humanity. Will Roman be able to overcome his fears, master the martial art of Hatari Ikou, and learn the secrets of astral projection?
Follow this epic journey to the Cosmic Sea where Roman faces evil and danger in uncharted space, as he attempts to rescue his wife, retrieve the sword of power, and end the Second Psychic Wars.
In 2021, Veterans of the Psychic Wars won a Literary Titan Book Award.
Reviews:
"This is a great book! The actions starts in the first paragraph and doesn’t stop until the last with no slowing down." ~ Tony-Paul ('A Splash of Scarlet' Blog).
"‘Star Wars’ meets ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ is a fine description of Veterans of the Psychic Wars, as long as you realize that the hero isn’t a wimp like Luke Skywalker and that the amazing warriors of Crouching Tiger would be toast before this story hits its stride." ~ Clayton Clifford Bye (Professional Reviewer).
"‘Veterans of the Psychic Wars’ is a ‘heroic mono-myth’ as described by Joseph Campbell in his book ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces’; as such, fans of ‘Star Wars’, ‘The Matrix’, or ‘Dune’ should enjoy it. I highly recommend this book." ~ The Dark (Smashwords Reviewer)
“Veterans of the Psychic Wars was a real thrill to read… It has everything a good story should have with various sub-plots, conflicted characters, interesting twists and edge-of the seat alien encounters.” ~ Sonya Iovieno (Amazon Reviewer)
"I highly recommend this book if you are a Sci-fi lover for it has everything you are looking for; Star Wars meets Enter the Dragon. Be prepared to be hanging off the edge of your seat wanting more." ~ Rayven ('Darkiss Reads' Blog).
“This is a well written and well thought out book… [It has] some of the imperialistic feel of Dune (Frank Herbert), the ideas from the Matrix (training within dream worlds), the Primes within the Talents (Anne McCaffrey), and the technology of Babylon 5 and Star Wars.” ~ Mike Thompson (Amazon Reviewer)
“I was thrilled to come across Veterans of the Psychic Wars. It really is a sweeping, old style space opera in form, but with a depth of detail and personality development beyond anything I have read in a long time… The evolving personal interactions, not always positive, between friends, mentors and ambiguous allies old and new all serve to ground the narrative convincingly. It also has to be said, the ultimate enemies here are stomach-churningly gruesome.” ~ Oana (Amazon Reviewer)
Sample Chapter
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Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest
Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen
Legends are immortal dreams made flesh…
Kaya Abaniah believes he’s an ordinary fourteen-year-old college student. He lives with his mother on the Caribbean island of Trinidad; he’s passionate about wildlife conservation and has a crush on the prettiest girl in his class.
However, one fateful day, Kaya’s life is changed forever when he encounters Papa Bois, a folklore character similar to the Greek god, Pan. Kaya learns he has the talent. He’s a telepath, and he’s not alone. He discovers that men in black are constantly watching him, Soucouyant, the shape-shifting vampire wants his blood, and his packed lunch is never safe.
Will Kaya succeed in protecting his relatives and friends from the supernatural evils that lurk on the tropic isle? Can he reveal the shape-shifter’s secret identity? And, why on Earth is the most gorgeous girl, he’s ever known, so interested in him?
Follow Kaya’s struggles with love, rivalry, and academic life, as he confronts the terrifying creatures of Trinidad and Tobago’s folklore, and unlocks the shocking mystery of Papa Bois, the father of the forest.
About Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest:
Kaya Abaniah (Kah-yuh Abba-na-yuh) is a boy's name. Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest is a unique story, set in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. In this two-island Caribbean nation, inhabited primarily by people of African and Indian descent, Trinidadian English is the official spoken language, and Standard English is the official written language. However, Kaya speaks authentic Trinidadian Creole, which is similar, but distinct from Tobagonian Creole. Trinbagonians (Trinidadians and Tobagonians) use Creole in spontaneous conversation, while Trinidadian English is often reserved for more formal speech. Various combinations of English, Trinidadian English, and Creole are not uncommon.
Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest was the most recent work academically reviewed in Supernatural Literature, a 3-volume encyclopaedia published by St. James Press, which covers literature of the supernatural across the canon, including such notable works as Homer's Iliad, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
In 2020, Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest won a Literary Titan Book Award.
About the Author:
Wayne Gerard Trotman is a Trinidadian British author, blogger, filmmaker, artist, photographer, composer and producer of electronic music. Born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Trotman immigrated to England in 1984, where he lives with his wife and two sons.
"The author takes a medley of science fiction tropes, from aliens and spaceships to telepathy and artificial intelligence and creates an epic, universe-building tale."
Sample Kaya Abaniah
Legends are immortal dreams made flesh…
Kaya Abaniah believes he’s an ordinary fourteen-year-old college student. He lives with his mother on the Caribbean island of Trinidad; he’s passionate about wildlife conservation and has a crush on the prettiest girl in his class.
However, one fateful day, Kaya’s life is changed forever when he encounters Papa Bois, a folklore character similar to the Greek god, Pan. Kaya learns he has the talent. He’s a telepath, and he’s not alone. He discovers that men in black are constantly watching him, Soucouyant, the shape-shifting vampire wants his blood, and his packed lunch is never safe.
Will Kaya succeed in protecting his relatives and friends from the supernatural evils that lurk on the tropic isle? Can he reveal the shape-shifter’s secret identity? And, why on Earth is the most gorgeous girl, he’s ever known, so interested in him?
Follow Kaya’s struggles with love, rivalry, and academic life, as he confronts the terrifying creatures of Trinidad and Tobago’s folklore, and unlocks the shocking mystery of Papa Bois, the father of the forest.
About Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest:
Kaya Abaniah (Kah-yuh Abba-na-yuh) is a boy's name. Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest is a unique story, set in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. In this two-island Caribbean nation, inhabited primarily by people of African and Indian descent, Trinidadian English is the official spoken language, and Standard English is the official written language. However, Kaya speaks authentic Trinidadian Creole, which is similar, but distinct from Tobagonian Creole. Trinbagonians (Trinidadians and Tobagonians) use Creole in spontaneous conversation, while Trinidadian English is often reserved for more formal speech. Various combinations of English, Trinidadian English, and Creole are not uncommon.
Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest was the most recent work academically reviewed in Supernatural Literature, a 3-volume encyclopaedia published by St. James Press, which covers literature of the supernatural across the canon, including such notable works as Homer's Iliad, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
In 2020, Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest won a Literary Titan Book Award.
About the Author:
Wayne Gerard Trotman is a Trinidadian British author, blogger, filmmaker, artist, photographer, composer and producer of electronic music. Born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Trotman immigrated to England in 1984, where he lives with his wife and two sons.
"The author takes a medley of science fiction tropes, from aliens and spaceships to telepathy and artificial intelligence and creates an epic, universe-building tale."
Sample Kaya Abaniah
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Ashes to Ashes: Screenplay
Screenplay, Gangsters, Martial Arts, Action
The screenplay for 'Ashes to Ashes', a Red Moon Production, a Wayne Gerard Trotman film.
WARNING: NOT SUITABLE FOR MINORS - Contains Sex, Violence, Strong Language and Drug Use.
OUTLINE:
Life, death, love and lust in the dark underworld of London's West End...
The Writer: The Story revolves around Gabriel Darbeaux, a young screenwriter and martial arts enthusiast who supplements his income by escorting wealthy women. Gabriel's latest screenplay is a thriller entitled 'Ashes to Ashes'.
The Girl: When a chance encounter brings the beautiful and mysterious Arabella Simone into his life, Gabriel finds that the dangerous world of the Italian Mafia and Chinese Triads, featured in his screenplay, is now his reality.
The Tarantula: For Sicilian Valentino Tarontola, there is only one thing worse than stealing his money; stealing his mistress. When Gabriel is suspected of both, the 'Tarantula' sends his most trusted associates to seek him out.
The Laundrymen: Dirty men for dirty work. African American Muhammed Armen and Triad Enforcer Nelson Kong lead the cast of villains. Cool and sadistic, Muhammed enjoys burning his victims whereas Nelson favours the 18 weapons of Shaolin. Together with Nelson's brother Raymond, his cousin Ming and the Jamaican Leo they form the infamous five.
The Gigolo: Caught up in the confusion is Michael Trent, Gabriel's reluctant best friend. Michael enjoys the intimate company of women (for a substantial fee) and is as fond of himself as Gabriel is fond of martial arts.
The Banker's Wife: Felicity Wood is Michael's favourite customer. Unfortunately her husband Richard is Valentino Tarontola's 'personal banker'.
Sample Ashes to Ashes
The screenplay for 'Ashes to Ashes', a Red Moon Production, a Wayne Gerard Trotman film.
WARNING: NOT SUITABLE FOR MINORS - Contains Sex, Violence, Strong Language and Drug Use.
OUTLINE:
Life, death, love and lust in the dark underworld of London's West End...
The Writer: The Story revolves around Gabriel Darbeaux, a young screenwriter and martial arts enthusiast who supplements his income by escorting wealthy women. Gabriel's latest screenplay is a thriller entitled 'Ashes to Ashes'.
The Girl: When a chance encounter brings the beautiful and mysterious Arabella Simone into his life, Gabriel finds that the dangerous world of the Italian Mafia and Chinese Triads, featured in his screenplay, is now his reality.
The Tarantula: For Sicilian Valentino Tarontola, there is only one thing worse than stealing his money; stealing his mistress. When Gabriel is suspected of both, the 'Tarantula' sends his most trusted associates to seek him out.
The Laundrymen: Dirty men for dirty work. African American Muhammed Armen and Triad Enforcer Nelson Kong lead the cast of villains. Cool and sadistic, Muhammed enjoys burning his victims whereas Nelson favours the 18 weapons of Shaolin. Together with Nelson's brother Raymond, his cousin Ming and the Jamaican Leo they form the infamous five.
The Gigolo: Caught up in the confusion is Michael Trent, Gabriel's reluctant best friend. Michael enjoys the intimate company of women (for a substantial fee) and is as fond of himself as Gabriel is fond of martial arts.
The Banker's Wife: Felicity Wood is Michael's favourite customer. Unfortunately her husband Richard is Valentino Tarontola's 'personal banker'.
Sample Ashes to Ashes
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Images of Cuba
Photography, History, Caribbean & West Indies, Cuba
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, a tropical paradise where lovingly preserved 1950s American cars adorn streets lined with crumbling, centuries-old buildings. And, somehow, the seemingly incongruous all fit together in one of the safest and most photogenic countries in the world.
A living museum, Cuba effortlessly appeases all the senses. With its warm, educated, population and famed for its hand-rolled cigars, rich coffee, exceptional rum, stunning tropical vistas, unrivalled cultural heritage and infectious music, Cuba is like no other place on Earth.
In this beautiful book, Wayne Gerard Trotman captures the wonder and inherent beauty of Cuba's stunning landscapes, idyllic beaches, unique architecture, rare classic cars and multi-ethnic people.
Images of Cuba was a finalist in the 2021 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards, in the category Travel/Nature.
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite – 5 Stars
Images of Cuba by Wayne Gerard Trotman captures the diversity of the culture, people, and customs of Cuba passed down from their African, Spanish, French, and Asian ancestors and have made Cubans the people they are. The author's love for the country reflects in the photographs and the pictures give glimpses of the harmonious nature of the Cuban people. Havana, the capital of Cuba, was a trading port and in the 1930s the city was the favorite haunt of celebrities who came looking for night clubs and pleasure. The author's eye, when it comes to capturing Cuba, its daily life, and diversity, will fascinate readers as they go on an exciting and wondrous pictorial journey of the place with the author.
The images speak to readers and the colors speak about the author's aesthetic eye and his ability to make the mundane and regular entertaining. The place has so much color and life, and its uniqueness spells magic and enchantment to readers. Images of Cuba by Wayne Gerard Trotman makes you aware of the sightseeing aspects of the country. There is so much to explore, be it for the city lover, beach lover, nature lover, or someone who loves architecture. The book will encourage readers to travel to Cuba and soak in its beauty. The images of the classic and colorful cars and every other picture in the book are a testimony to the unrivaled charm and spirit of this tropical paradise and how dance, art, and music played a major role in the lives of its people. The author's creativity is tangible in every shot and in every angle, making this book a must-have in everybody's personal collection.
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, a tropical paradise where lovingly preserved 1950s American cars adorn streets lined with crumbling, centuries-old buildings. And, somehow, the seemingly incongruous all fit together in one of the safest and most photogenic countries in the world.
A living museum, Cuba effortlessly appeases all the senses. With its warm, educated, population and famed for its hand-rolled cigars, rich coffee, exceptional rum, stunning tropical vistas, unrivalled cultural heritage and infectious music, Cuba is like no other place on Earth.
In this beautiful book, Wayne Gerard Trotman captures the wonder and inherent beauty of Cuba's stunning landscapes, idyllic beaches, unique architecture, rare classic cars and multi-ethnic people.
Images of Cuba was a finalist in the 2021 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards, in the category Travel/Nature.
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite – 5 Stars
Images of Cuba by Wayne Gerard Trotman captures the diversity of the culture, people, and customs of Cuba passed down from their African, Spanish, French, and Asian ancestors and have made Cubans the people they are. The author's love for the country reflects in the photographs and the pictures give glimpses of the harmonious nature of the Cuban people. Havana, the capital of Cuba, was a trading port and in the 1930s the city was the favorite haunt of celebrities who came looking for night clubs and pleasure. The author's eye, when it comes to capturing Cuba, its daily life, and diversity, will fascinate readers as they go on an exciting and wondrous pictorial journey of the place with the author.
The images speak to readers and the colors speak about the author's aesthetic eye and his ability to make the mundane and regular entertaining. The place has so much color and life, and its uniqueness spells magic and enchantment to readers. Images of Cuba by Wayne Gerard Trotman makes you aware of the sightseeing aspects of the country. There is so much to explore, be it for the city lover, beach lover, nature lover, or someone who loves architecture. The book will encourage readers to travel to Cuba and soak in its beauty. The images of the classic and colorful cars and every other picture in the book are a testimony to the unrivaled charm and spirit of this tropical paradise and how dance, art, and music played a major role in the lives of its people. The author's creativity is tangible in every shot and in every angle, making this book a must-have in everybody's personal collection.
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Classic Cars of Cuba
Photography, History, Caribbean & West Indies, Cuba, Automotive, Antique & Classic
Due to its unique history, many of Cuba's aspects remain frozen in time. With an estimated 60,000 antique vehicles still in active use, it has more classic cars per person than any other nation in the world.
A lifetime after rolling off Detroit production lines, yank tanks manufactured by Ford, General Motors, Chrysler and others remain in active service on Cuban streets. Once the exclusive property of Cuba's large, pre-revolution middle-class, these cars are kept running by the pooled resources of today's poverty-stricken families.
In this beautiful book, Wayne Gerard Trotman captures the romance, beauty and nostalgia of the classic cars of Cuba, iconic symbols of a quintessentially Cuban, time-warped dream.
Reviewed by Steve Leshin for Readers' Favorite - 4 Stars
Classic Cars of Cuba (Photography by Wayne Gerard Trotman) is not just a picture book about cars. It is an appreciation for a people and a culture on the largest island in the Caribbean. This is demonstrated through the images of old internal combustion-powered automobiles held in a time capsule of the 1950s. Politics aside, Trotman explains in a neat introduction to his portfolio of photographs that these classic cars were handed down from grandfather to father to son. When Cuba became a communist country under Fidel Castro after 1959, the island was under an embargo by the United States, and as a result, they would receive no new products including new American cars nor any replacement parts for cars already sold. Through necessity and ingenuity, the cars they owned were kept in good to excellent condition for years to come.
The photography in Classic Cars of Cuba shows vibrant colors on the bodywork of Chevrolets, Fords, and other American-made vehicles. Trotman captures the bright yellows, reds, greens, and blues with subtle backgrounds showing the narrow roads in the Cuban cities and the long stretches of country roads. A 1956 Belaire, for example, looks much as it probably did in the showroom that year. A bright red and white sedan is parked next to a crumbling building in one picture. Some photos were taken close to nightfall where bright headlights reflect off the pavement. You can look at the dashboard of a 1950s classic car and be amazed at how it has been so well kept all these years. The photographer captures the Cubans' love of their vehicles and, as a consequence, a view of their lifestyle and culture as well. The pictures are sharp and clear. A fine book for any fans of classic cars.
Due to its unique history, many of Cuba's aspects remain frozen in time. With an estimated 60,000 antique vehicles still in active use, it has more classic cars per person than any other nation in the world.
A lifetime after rolling off Detroit production lines, yank tanks manufactured by Ford, General Motors, Chrysler and others remain in active service on Cuban streets. Once the exclusive property of Cuba's large, pre-revolution middle-class, these cars are kept running by the pooled resources of today's poverty-stricken families.
In this beautiful book, Wayne Gerard Trotman captures the romance, beauty and nostalgia of the classic cars of Cuba, iconic symbols of a quintessentially Cuban, time-warped dream.
Reviewed by Steve Leshin for Readers' Favorite - 4 Stars
Classic Cars of Cuba (Photography by Wayne Gerard Trotman) is not just a picture book about cars. It is an appreciation for a people and a culture on the largest island in the Caribbean. This is demonstrated through the images of old internal combustion-powered automobiles held in a time capsule of the 1950s. Politics aside, Trotman explains in a neat introduction to his portfolio of photographs that these classic cars were handed down from grandfather to father to son. When Cuba became a communist country under Fidel Castro after 1959, the island was under an embargo by the United States, and as a result, they would receive no new products including new American cars nor any replacement parts for cars already sold. Through necessity and ingenuity, the cars they owned were kept in good to excellent condition for years to come.
The photography in Classic Cars of Cuba shows vibrant colors on the bodywork of Chevrolets, Fords, and other American-made vehicles. Trotman captures the bright yellows, reds, greens, and blues with subtle backgrounds showing the narrow roads in the Cuban cities and the long stretches of country roads. A 1956 Belaire, for example, looks much as it probably did in the showroom that year. A bright red and white sedan is parked next to a crumbling building in one picture. Some photos were taken close to nightfall where bright headlights reflect off the pavement. You can look at the dashboard of a 1950s classic car and be amazed at how it has been so well kept all these years. The photographer captures the Cubans' love of their vehicles and, as a consequence, a view of their lifestyle and culture as well. The pictures are sharp and clear. A fine book for any fans of classic cars.
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Rum & Red Peppers: 80 Caribbean, Armenian, Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Recipes
Cooking, Regional & Ethnic, Caribbean & West Indian, Armenian
Rum & Red Peppers features 80 easy-to-follow recipes, illustrated with 164 full-colour photographs. Classic, inspired, and brand new creations by Wayne Gerard Trotman and Sherrie Trotman that reflect the traditional cuisines and rich cultural diversity of Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean, Armenia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
Traditional recipes include Caribbean Chicken Stew, Callaloo, Rice & Peas, Sorrel, Black Cake, Lamb & White Bean Stew, Dolma, Lahmajoon, Boreg, Tabouleh and Vospov Kufteh. Unique variations of popular drinks and dishes such as Cuba Roja, Wayne’s Mai Tai, Wayne’s Piña Colada, Christmas Crackers and Meatballs in Rum Sauce are also included together with new creations such as Rum & Red Peppers Chicken, Grilled Mango Chicken, Caribbean Sea Bream, Salsa Salmon, Boozy Fruit Cupcakes, Almond Berry Cake, Sorrel Sorbet, Black Rock, Fiery Passion and Spartan.
Rum & Red Peppers was a finalist in the 2020 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards, in the category Food/Cooking.
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Rum & Red Peppers: 80 Caribbean, Armenian, Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Recipes is written by Wayne and Sherrie Trotman. This selection offers traditional foods of the mentioned regions. Baked Omelet (Mediterranean) and Coconut Bake (Trinidadian) are breakfast staples. Meatballs in Rum Sauce, Salsa Salmon, Boreg, (Armenian) phyllo pastry with meat and cheese fillings looks tasty in the accompanying photos. So does the Lentil Soup, Caribbean Chicken Stew, and Lamb & Apricot Kebab. Sweet treats include Boozy Fruit Cupcakes, Apricot & Pistachio Crumble, Passion Fruit Sorbet and exotic ice-creams. Mauby, Fiery Passion, Cuba Roja, and Wayne’s Mai Tai are drinks worth sampling. Learn to brew Armenian Style Coffee to have with desserts like Almond Berry Cake.
The recipes in Rum & Red Peppers are an infused combination of Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Trinidadian culture and that of his British Armenian wife, Sherrie. Their passion for spicy foods was stirred by their relatives who were skilled cooks in the kitchen. The simple recipes are color-coded to identify its country’s origin. All the ingredients are readily available and inexpensive. The “secret” condiments used to marinate meat and enhance sauces are Green Seasoning, Hot Pepper Chutney, and Rum & Red Peppers, the signature recipe and book’s title. Each chapter has blank pages to jot your personal notes on the recipes. I like the dishes, more so as they lack complex preparation. Rum & Red Peppers: 80 Caribbean, Armenian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean Recipes is a must-have if you enjoy ethnic foods and would like to learn to cook your favorite dishes.
Rum & Red Peppers features 80 easy-to-follow recipes, illustrated with 164 full-colour photographs. Classic, inspired, and brand new creations by Wayne Gerard Trotman and Sherrie Trotman that reflect the traditional cuisines and rich cultural diversity of Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean, Armenia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
Traditional recipes include Caribbean Chicken Stew, Callaloo, Rice & Peas, Sorrel, Black Cake, Lamb & White Bean Stew, Dolma, Lahmajoon, Boreg, Tabouleh and Vospov Kufteh. Unique variations of popular drinks and dishes such as Cuba Roja, Wayne’s Mai Tai, Wayne’s Piña Colada, Christmas Crackers and Meatballs in Rum Sauce are also included together with new creations such as Rum & Red Peppers Chicken, Grilled Mango Chicken, Caribbean Sea Bream, Salsa Salmon, Boozy Fruit Cupcakes, Almond Berry Cake, Sorrel Sorbet, Black Rock, Fiery Passion and Spartan.
Rum & Red Peppers was a finalist in the 2020 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards, in the category Food/Cooking.
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Rum & Red Peppers: 80 Caribbean, Armenian, Middle Eastern & Mediterranean Recipes is written by Wayne and Sherrie Trotman. This selection offers traditional foods of the mentioned regions. Baked Omelet (Mediterranean) and Coconut Bake (Trinidadian) are breakfast staples. Meatballs in Rum Sauce, Salsa Salmon, Boreg, (Armenian) phyllo pastry with meat and cheese fillings looks tasty in the accompanying photos. So does the Lentil Soup, Caribbean Chicken Stew, and Lamb & Apricot Kebab. Sweet treats include Boozy Fruit Cupcakes, Apricot & Pistachio Crumble, Passion Fruit Sorbet and exotic ice-creams. Mauby, Fiery Passion, Cuba Roja, and Wayne’s Mai Tai are drinks worth sampling. Learn to brew Armenian Style Coffee to have with desserts like Almond Berry Cake.
The recipes in Rum & Red Peppers are an infused combination of Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Trinidadian culture and that of his British Armenian wife, Sherrie. Their passion for spicy foods was stirred by their relatives who were skilled cooks in the kitchen. The simple recipes are color-coded to identify its country’s origin. All the ingredients are readily available and inexpensive. The “secret” condiments used to marinate meat and enhance sauces are Green Seasoning, Hot Pepper Chutney, and Rum & Red Peppers, the signature recipe and book’s title. Each chapter has blank pages to jot your personal notes on the recipes. I like the dishes, more so as they lack complex preparation. Rum & Red Peppers: 80 Caribbean, Armenian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean Recipes is a must-have if you enjoy ethnic foods and would like to learn to cook your favorite dishes.
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The Last Honey Bee (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories)
Juvenile Fiction, Illustrated, Poetry, Insects, Bees
Look at me, I’m wild and free
Look at me, I’m Manderlee
Manderlee, that’s me
Manderlee, the last honey bee
Learn about Manderlee, an adventurous honey bee, and the challenges she must overcome in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 3+.
When her hive is destroyed, Manderlee must find a new home. Learn about the importance of honey bees, and join Manderlee on her perilous journey to a foreign land. Will the last honey bee survive?
The Last Honey Bee was a finalist in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2019.
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
The Last Honey Bee is a children’s picture book from Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Rhyming Stories series. Manderlee is a very sad honey bee. Humans destroyed the thriving bee colony she lived in with fire and poison. The queen bee, drones, and worker bees perished, but Manderlee survived. She had to travel far to seek a new colony and was almost made into honey bee cake by Kala Kaghee, an angry seagull. As she searches for a new hive to live in, Manderlee explains the importance of bees and why humans shouldn’t tear their wings or harm them. They produce tasty honey and pollinate the plants so our favorite fruits like pears, mangoes and strawberries can grow. Manderlee’s wings are very tired from flying too long. She’s also lonely, hungry and misses her honey-making job. Will she ever find a new colony of bees to start a new life and make friends?
Manderlee is such an adorable bee. I felt her sorrow at losing her entire colony. The Last Honey Bee is a superb children’s book containing beautiful illustrations to match the adventure. Manderlee expresses her fears and concerns about colonies and offers advice to humans. It’s written in a moderately paced rhyming sequence that’s rather moving. The story is educational and is a great way for children to learn about nature and its importance to everyone. You will also meet other lovable characters such as Paddy McFly, and Romeo Cassanova. This is one of the cleverly written novellas from Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Rhyming Stories that will attract young readers. They will love it.
Look at me, I’m wild and free
Look at me, I’m Manderlee
Manderlee, that’s me
Manderlee, the last honey bee
Learn about Manderlee, an adventurous honey bee, and the challenges she must overcome in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 3+.
When her hive is destroyed, Manderlee must find a new home. Learn about the importance of honey bees, and join Manderlee on her perilous journey to a foreign land. Will the last honey bee survive?
The Last Honey Bee was a finalist in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2019.
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
The Last Honey Bee is a children’s picture book from Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Rhyming Stories series. Manderlee is a very sad honey bee. Humans destroyed the thriving bee colony she lived in with fire and poison. The queen bee, drones, and worker bees perished, but Manderlee survived. She had to travel far to seek a new colony and was almost made into honey bee cake by Kala Kaghee, an angry seagull. As she searches for a new hive to live in, Manderlee explains the importance of bees and why humans shouldn’t tear their wings or harm them. They produce tasty honey and pollinate the plants so our favorite fruits like pears, mangoes and strawberries can grow. Manderlee’s wings are very tired from flying too long. She’s also lonely, hungry and misses her honey-making job. Will she ever find a new colony of bees to start a new life and make friends?
Manderlee is such an adorable bee. I felt her sorrow at losing her entire colony. The Last Honey Bee is a superb children’s book containing beautiful illustrations to match the adventure. Manderlee expresses her fears and concerns about colonies and offers advice to humans. It’s written in a moderately paced rhyming sequence that’s rather moving. The story is educational and is a great way for children to learn about nature and its importance to everyone. You will also meet other lovable characters such as Paddy McFly, and Romeo Cassanova. This is one of the cleverly written novellas from Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Rhyming Stories that will attract young readers. They will love it.
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A Tiger's Tale (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories)
Juvenile Fiction, Illustrated, Poetry, Tigers
There once was a happy tiger
Who lived on the isle of Sumatra
With large green forests in which to roam
Many tiger families called it home
But people came; some broke the law
They cut many trees with a mighty saw
Men slashed and burned forests of the land
Destroying much more than originally planned
The orangutans fled; elephants; tigers too
After all was said, what could they do?
Learn about the endangered Sumatran Tiger, the threats he faces, and the ways we can help him to survive in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 4+.
A Tiger's Tale was a silver medal winner in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2019.
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
A happy tiger lived on the island of Sumatra where there were large green forests to roam and it was home to many tigers. But people came there and cut down the trees, broke the law, and burned the forests of the land. The destruction caused the animals to flee and the men struggled and toiled to farm rubber, tea, and palm oil. They grew coffee and built houses and the tiger had nowhere to go. He wanted to go back to the forest he once knew. The children came together from every town to save the animals and they knew the animals' future depended on them. They decided to give the animals lots of space with many trees. The adults also followed the children's plans and the animals returned to the forest in large numbers. The tiger took himself a beautiful wife and settled down happily.
A Tiger's Tale (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories) by Wayne Gerard Trotman is an adorable story that speaks about the dangers faced by the Sumatran tigers and how they can be helped to survive in the large green forests of Sumatra. Nhat Hao Nguyen's wonderful illustrations add color and movement to the rhyming verses and make them palpable to young readers. The concept has been dealt with in an entertaining way and will encourage children to help protect endangered animals and the forests so that animals' homes are intact. A Tiger's Tale is a good book to make children aware of the importance of protecting endangered species by saving the forests from being cut down and destroyed by unscrupulous people. It is also a good way to introduce children to rhyming words.
There once was a happy tiger
Who lived on the isle of Sumatra
With large green forests in which to roam
Many tiger families called it home
But people came; some broke the law
They cut many trees with a mighty saw
Men slashed and burned forests of the land
Destroying much more than originally planned
The orangutans fled; elephants; tigers too
After all was said, what could they do?
Learn about the endangered Sumatran Tiger, the threats he faces, and the ways we can help him to survive in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 4+.
A Tiger's Tale was a silver medal winner in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2019.
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
A happy tiger lived on the island of Sumatra where there were large green forests to roam and it was home to many tigers. But people came there and cut down the trees, broke the law, and burned the forests of the land. The destruction caused the animals to flee and the men struggled and toiled to farm rubber, tea, and palm oil. They grew coffee and built houses and the tiger had nowhere to go. He wanted to go back to the forest he once knew. The children came together from every town to save the animals and they knew the animals' future depended on them. They decided to give the animals lots of space with many trees. The adults also followed the children's plans and the animals returned to the forest in large numbers. The tiger took himself a beautiful wife and settled down happily.
A Tiger's Tale (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories) by Wayne Gerard Trotman is an adorable story that speaks about the dangers faced by the Sumatran tigers and how they can be helped to survive in the large green forests of Sumatra. Nhat Hao Nguyen's wonderful illustrations add color and movement to the rhyming verses and make them palpable to young readers. The concept has been dealt with in an entertaining way and will encourage children to help protect endangered animals and the forests so that animals' homes are intact. A Tiger's Tale is a good book to make children aware of the importance of protecting endangered species by saving the forests from being cut down and destroyed by unscrupulous people. It is also a good way to introduce children to rhyming words.
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An Elephant's Advice (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories)
Juvenile Fiction, Illustrated, Poetry, Elephants
Tun Tun is a baby elephant
Carefree, healthy and very intelligent
Jumbo is his strong, brave father
And Ayo his wise, beautiful mother
At six happy years and a half
Tun Tun is a forest elephant calf
That’s what elephant babies are called
And he’s already more than a metre tall
Elephants, including African forest elephants like Tun Tun, are under threat. Learn about his life, the danger he faces, and the brave people helping him to survive in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 4+.
An Elephant's Advice won a 2020 Purple Dragonfly Book Award (Honorable Mention for Excellence in Children's Picture Books - Ages 6 and Older).
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Meet Tun Tun, the baby elephant, and Jumbo, his strong and brave father, and Ayo, his wise and beautiful mother. Tun Tun is a forest elephant calf and he visits the lake every day with his family for mud baths, fresh water, and playing. They enjoyed covering themselves with mud and protecting their skin from the sun. Tun Tun spied an intruder one day and his father Jumbo trumpeted that they all must go. Jumbo asked Tun Tun to run because the hunter had his gun. Tun Tun and Ayo ran into the wood and he heard a shot from the hunter's rifle. The forest held a dark surprise and Tun Tun and Ayo came face-to-face with another intruder. Ayo told Tun Tun to run and not wait for her.
An Elephant's Advice (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories) by Wayne Gerard Trotman is a meaningful story about the threat faced by elephants when they are shot for their tusks, for greed, profit, and foolish pride. The story also speaks about the friends they make and on whom their survival depends. The illustrations bring the story to life and make it palpable for readers. The rhyming verses and illustrations make it an excellent book for tutors and parents to read out to kids and help them understand how important it is to protect animals from ignorance and greed and not to take more than they need. Stories like this teach children to become kind and compassionate and to help protect wildlife from being killed by poachers.
Tun Tun is a baby elephant
Carefree, healthy and very intelligent
Jumbo is his strong, brave father
And Ayo his wise, beautiful mother
At six happy years and a half
Tun Tun is a forest elephant calf
That’s what elephant babies are called
And he’s already more than a metre tall
Elephants, including African forest elephants like Tun Tun, are under threat. Learn about his life, the danger he faces, and the brave people helping him to survive in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 4+.
An Elephant's Advice won a 2020 Purple Dragonfly Book Award (Honorable Mention for Excellence in Children's Picture Books - Ages 6 and Older).
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Meet Tun Tun, the baby elephant, and Jumbo, his strong and brave father, and Ayo, his wise and beautiful mother. Tun Tun is a forest elephant calf and he visits the lake every day with his family for mud baths, fresh water, and playing. They enjoyed covering themselves with mud and protecting their skin from the sun. Tun Tun spied an intruder one day and his father Jumbo trumpeted that they all must go. Jumbo asked Tun Tun to run because the hunter had his gun. Tun Tun and Ayo ran into the wood and he heard a shot from the hunter's rifle. The forest held a dark surprise and Tun Tun and Ayo came face-to-face with another intruder. Ayo told Tun Tun to run and not wait for her.
An Elephant's Advice (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories) by Wayne Gerard Trotman is a meaningful story about the threat faced by elephants when they are shot for their tusks, for greed, profit, and foolish pride. The story also speaks about the friends they make and on whom their survival depends. The illustrations bring the story to life and make it palpable for readers. The rhyming verses and illustrations make it an excellent book for tutors and parents to read out to kids and help them understand how important it is to protect animals from ignorance and greed and not to take more than they need. Stories like this teach children to become kind and compassionate and to help protect wildlife from being killed by poachers.
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Mattie Boombalatty (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories)
Juvenile Fiction, Illustrated, Poetry, Fairy Tale
In a town named Bascini
Lived Family Boombalatty:
Granddaddy Boombalatty
Daddy Boombalatty
Mummy Boombalatty
And Mattie Boombalatty
Daddy Boombalatty lost his job in the country
So, Family Boombalatty had to move to the city
Off to a new school went Mattie Boombalatty
But making friends was not very easy
When Mattie is bullied by rich girls at her new school, an unexpected visitor comes to her rescue. Join Mattie as she deals with the girls’ cruelty without becoming cruel herself. Learn how she rejects riches, beauty, and revenge in favour of fairness and genuine friendship in this beautifully illustrated rhyming fairy tale for ages 4+. Mattie Boombalatty won a 2020 Gold Literary Titan Book Award.
Mattie Boombalatty won a gold Literary Titan Book Award 2020
Reviewed by Literary Titan - 5 Stars
Mattie Boombalatty by Wayne Gerard Trotman is a children’s illustrated short story that follows Mattie Boombalatty as she moves to a new town and falls victim to bullying by her new schoolmates. Trotman’s simple yet profound lesson about morality, combined with the book’s vivid and lively illustrations makes this a fantastic book for children.
Nhat Hao Nguyen, the illustrator of the book, is a skilled artist who makes each scene and character come to life. He uses vivid colors that pop, and his life-like yet cherub-like character illustrations add just the right amount of magic and realism to this children’s picture book. His attention to detail on each page is fantastic.
Trotman’s message about treating others who treat us lesser than we deserve is, as aforementioned, simple yet poignant. Mattie faces many anxieties that are understandable and normal for a school-aged girl. Some of her schoolmates decide for no reason that they do not like her and, as mean schoolchildren do, they make their feelings known. As distraught as she is over being taunted by her peers, she displays strength in refusing to wish them ill will, even when she comes across a glowing opportunity to get revenge. Mattie is ultimately rewarded for choosing the high road, and she reaches her happy ending in the story. While we as humans are not always rewarded for rising above our circumstances, Trotman makes it clear that the reward is not what matters – rather, the peace of mind that comes with choosing the right path is what ultimately matters.
Pages: 50 | ISBN-10: 1916184839
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Change is never easy. When Mattie Boombalatty, her parents, and Grandaddy move to the city so her father can work, Mattie has to attend a new school. Making friends isn’t easy for Mattie. The girls at the new school bully her relentlessly, calling her all kinds of mean things. Mattie is so sad that when visited by the Blue Fairy who wants to grant her a wish of riches and power, all Mattie wishes is for the mean girls to no longer be mean. The Blue Fairy gets things wrong, changing all the bullies at Mattie’s school into cherry tarts. It’s a spell that's difficult to reverse, but that’s all Mattie wants as she realizes she can’t change the world by turning mean herself; she just has to learn how to live in it the way it is.
Wayne Gerard Trotman’s picture book story, Mattie Boombalatty: Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Rhyming Stories, is a clever way to teach young people not only that bullying hurts, but also that it’s important to remain oneself, in spite of the bullying. The story is told in rhyming verse, beginning and ending with an introduction to the main characters, the Boombalatty family: “In a town named Bascini/ Lived Family Boombalatty:/ Granddaddy Boombalatty/ Daddy Boombalatty/ Mummy Boombalatty/ And Mattie Boombalatty.” There are lots of children’s stories that address bullying, but this one is unique as it turns the issue around and makes the bullied person into a stronger, better person by dealing with the issue through acceptance, even when others don’t accept her. A powerful message. Cleverly told, fun to read, and beautifully illustrated.
In a town named Bascini
Lived Family Boombalatty:
Granddaddy Boombalatty
Daddy Boombalatty
Mummy Boombalatty
And Mattie Boombalatty
Daddy Boombalatty lost his job in the country
So, Family Boombalatty had to move to the city
Off to a new school went Mattie Boombalatty
But making friends was not very easy
When Mattie is bullied by rich girls at her new school, an unexpected visitor comes to her rescue. Join Mattie as she deals with the girls’ cruelty without becoming cruel herself. Learn how she rejects riches, beauty, and revenge in favour of fairness and genuine friendship in this beautifully illustrated rhyming fairy tale for ages 4+. Mattie Boombalatty won a 2020 Gold Literary Titan Book Award.
Mattie Boombalatty won a gold Literary Titan Book Award 2020
Reviewed by Literary Titan - 5 Stars
Mattie Boombalatty by Wayne Gerard Trotman is a children’s illustrated short story that follows Mattie Boombalatty as she moves to a new town and falls victim to bullying by her new schoolmates. Trotman’s simple yet profound lesson about morality, combined with the book’s vivid and lively illustrations makes this a fantastic book for children.
Nhat Hao Nguyen, the illustrator of the book, is a skilled artist who makes each scene and character come to life. He uses vivid colors that pop, and his life-like yet cherub-like character illustrations add just the right amount of magic and realism to this children’s picture book. His attention to detail on each page is fantastic.
Trotman’s message about treating others who treat us lesser than we deserve is, as aforementioned, simple yet poignant. Mattie faces many anxieties that are understandable and normal for a school-aged girl. Some of her schoolmates decide for no reason that they do not like her and, as mean schoolchildren do, they make their feelings known. As distraught as she is over being taunted by her peers, she displays strength in refusing to wish them ill will, even when she comes across a glowing opportunity to get revenge. Mattie is ultimately rewarded for choosing the high road, and she reaches her happy ending in the story. While we as humans are not always rewarded for rising above our circumstances, Trotman makes it clear that the reward is not what matters – rather, the peace of mind that comes with choosing the right path is what ultimately matters.
Pages: 50 | ISBN-10: 1916184839
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Change is never easy. When Mattie Boombalatty, her parents, and Grandaddy move to the city so her father can work, Mattie has to attend a new school. Making friends isn’t easy for Mattie. The girls at the new school bully her relentlessly, calling her all kinds of mean things. Mattie is so sad that when visited by the Blue Fairy who wants to grant her a wish of riches and power, all Mattie wishes is for the mean girls to no longer be mean. The Blue Fairy gets things wrong, changing all the bullies at Mattie’s school into cherry tarts. It’s a spell that's difficult to reverse, but that’s all Mattie wants as she realizes she can’t change the world by turning mean herself; she just has to learn how to live in it the way it is.
Wayne Gerard Trotman’s picture book story, Mattie Boombalatty: Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Rhyming Stories, is a clever way to teach young people not only that bullying hurts, but also that it’s important to remain oneself, in spite of the bullying. The story is told in rhyming verse, beginning and ending with an introduction to the main characters, the Boombalatty family: “In a town named Bascini/ Lived Family Boombalatty:/ Granddaddy Boombalatty/ Daddy Boombalatty/ Mummy Boombalatty/ And Mattie Boombalatty.” There are lots of children’s stories that address bullying, but this one is unique as it turns the issue around and makes the bullied person into a stronger, better person by dealing with the issue through acceptance, even when others don’t accept her. A powerful message. Cleverly told, fun to read, and beautifully illustrated.
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Song of the Blue Whale (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories)
Juvenile Fiction, Illustrated, Poetry, Whales
In the Southern Ocean, there lives a blue whale
Magnificent and free with a barnacle on her tail
She swims the ocean’s depths; few follow her trail
In the coldest waters, where only the brave prevail
Despite a global whaling ban, the blue whale, the largest animal the world has ever seen, remains endangered.
Learn about the threats she faces, and what we can do to help protect her, in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 4+.
Song of the Blue Whale won a gold Literary Titan Book Award 2021
Reviewed by Literary Titan - 5 Stars
Song of the Blue Whale is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that educates readers on whales, whale hunters, ocean pollution, and what we can do to help whales and clean up our water.
This educational picture book surprised me with how many opportunities for learning were packed into so few pages. We’re first introduced to a whale with a barnacle on its tail. A cute image accompanied by a short rhyme. But readers are then taken on a trip through the ocean where we learn about the dangers whales face against hunters. With a few short simple rhymes readers are also educated on ocean pollution and provided some simple steps we can all take to help clean up. I can imagine this book being a great piece for teachers to include in their curriculum about marine biology and oceanography. The book is filled with beautiful art pieces of whales in the ocean. Some of my favorite art pieces from this book are from the bottom of the ocean looking up at whales as sunlight comes through the clouds and water. Contrast this with the dramatic scene where whalers are hunting and you really do get to experience the full range and beauty of a whale’s life in this book.
Song of the Blue Whale is a picture book that will educate as it entertains young readers. With magnificent art on nearly every page, any child is sure to appreciate the majestic nature of these animals and come away with a better understanding of what whales face in the open ocean.
Pages: 34 | ISBN: 1916184847
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Song of the Blue Whale: Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories is a children’s animal picture book written by Wayne Gerard Trotman and illustrated by Nhat Hao Nguyen. She’s a majestic blue whale swimming through the deep blue waters of the Southern Ocean. Her kind is the largest of all creatures living, and they have been hunted nearly to extinction by men seeking to profit off their blubber, baleen, whale oil, and meat. Even today, they are threatened, as are all sea creatures, by man’s pollution of the seas, stray nets that bind and strangle, trash that kills, and even now there are the poachers and rogue countries who lust after the destruction of the world’s most magnificent creature. What can kids do to help? Clean up crews that scavenge along the shores can minimize what is taken out to sea. Recycling plastics, metal, and paper goods help keep the environment and the waters healthy. We still do have blue whales gracing our planet, but only if we care enough -- if we each do our part.
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Song of the Blue Whale introduces the most majestic of living creatures, the blue whale, to young readers in a story that conveys the beauty and power of the blue whale as well as the loneliness experienced by the too-few survivors of man’s depredations. The plaintive cries of the whale as she reaches out to those surviving and those departed friends is unforgettable and haunting. The author’s rhyming verses work so well to impart the enormity of the subject and help children learn new vocabulary as they expand their knowledge of the natural world. Nhat Hao Nguyen’s illustrations capture the blue whale and its environment so very well. Each picture is a marvel, and many are well worth framing for a child's bedroom walls. Song of the Blue Whale: Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories is most highly recommended.
In the Southern Ocean, there lives a blue whale
Magnificent and free with a barnacle on her tail
She swims the ocean’s depths; few follow her trail
In the coldest waters, where only the brave prevail
Despite a global whaling ban, the blue whale, the largest animal the world has ever seen, remains endangered.
Learn about the threats she faces, and what we can do to help protect her, in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 4+.
Song of the Blue Whale won a gold Literary Titan Book Award 2021
Reviewed by Literary Titan - 5 Stars
Song of the Blue Whale is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that educates readers on whales, whale hunters, ocean pollution, and what we can do to help whales and clean up our water.
This educational picture book surprised me with how many opportunities for learning were packed into so few pages. We’re first introduced to a whale with a barnacle on its tail. A cute image accompanied by a short rhyme. But readers are then taken on a trip through the ocean where we learn about the dangers whales face against hunters. With a few short simple rhymes readers are also educated on ocean pollution and provided some simple steps we can all take to help clean up. I can imagine this book being a great piece for teachers to include in their curriculum about marine biology and oceanography. The book is filled with beautiful art pieces of whales in the ocean. Some of my favorite art pieces from this book are from the bottom of the ocean looking up at whales as sunlight comes through the clouds and water. Contrast this with the dramatic scene where whalers are hunting and you really do get to experience the full range and beauty of a whale’s life in this book.
Song of the Blue Whale is a picture book that will educate as it entertains young readers. With magnificent art on nearly every page, any child is sure to appreciate the majestic nature of these animals and come away with a better understanding of what whales face in the open ocean.
Pages: 34 | ISBN: 1916184847
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Song of the Blue Whale: Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories is a children’s animal picture book written by Wayne Gerard Trotman and illustrated by Nhat Hao Nguyen. She’s a majestic blue whale swimming through the deep blue waters of the Southern Ocean. Her kind is the largest of all creatures living, and they have been hunted nearly to extinction by men seeking to profit off their blubber, baleen, whale oil, and meat. Even today, they are threatened, as are all sea creatures, by man’s pollution of the seas, stray nets that bind and strangle, trash that kills, and even now there are the poachers and rogue countries who lust after the destruction of the world’s most magnificent creature. What can kids do to help? Clean up crews that scavenge along the shores can minimize what is taken out to sea. Recycling plastics, metal, and paper goods help keep the environment and the waters healthy. We still do have blue whales gracing our planet, but only if we care enough -- if we each do our part.
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Song of the Blue Whale introduces the most majestic of living creatures, the blue whale, to young readers in a story that conveys the beauty and power of the blue whale as well as the loneliness experienced by the too-few survivors of man’s depredations. The plaintive cries of the whale as she reaches out to those surviving and those departed friends is unforgettable and haunting. The author’s rhyming verses work so well to impart the enormity of the subject and help children learn new vocabulary as they expand their knowledge of the natural world. Nhat Hao Nguyen’s illustrations capture the blue whale and its environment so very well. Each picture is a marvel, and many are well worth framing for a child's bedroom walls. Song of the Blue Whale: Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories is most highly recommended.
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Believe in Fairies
Juvenile Fiction, Illustrated, Poetry, Fairy Tale, Faires, Wildflowers
Believe in fairies that come out at night
So beautiful, magical, and joyous a sight
From the realm of the fays, across the sea
Watch as they play in the hollow of a tree
They keep many fields and meadows alive
By helping wild herbs and flowers survive
A fairy tale for the young and the young at heart from an idea by Sherrie Trotman.
Learn to appreciate wildflowers and be inspired to help them grow in this beautifully illustrated rhyming tale for ages 4+.
Believe in Fairies won a silver Literary Titan Book Award 2020
Reviewed by Literary Titan - 4 Stars
Believe in Fairies by Wayne Gerard Trotman and Sherrie Trotman is a children’s story about why you should believe in fairies. It discusses topics such as how devoted fairies are to keeping plants alive. Fairies will put dewdrops on flowers to cool them and cover them with parasols to protect them from the rain! Fairies also love healing, and feeding the weak flowers. They take pride in taking care of their plants and your garden because the beauty of those flowers is what proves that their magic is real.
The authors of this story give beautiful descriptions and rhymes to captivate their readers. They provide details on how the fays take care of plants, and what exactly they do for them. The art is vibrant with plenty of action on the page that will certainly capture a child’s interest. I especially loved a sad little snail that appears about halfway through, so cute. There is much to learn and see while reading Believe in Fairies which is why I found this book to be so enjoyable!
Believe in Fairies is an enchanting poetry book that I think is perfect for young readers. Children will learn a lot about the fairies and walk away with a better appreciation for nature. Wayne Gerard Trotman and Sherrie Trotman will have readers believing in fairies in no time.
Pages: 32 | ISBN:1916184863
Reviewed by Tiffany Ferrell for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
In the children’s book Believe In Fairies, we are introduced to the magical fay who come out at night and play. They keep the meadows and fields alive with their magic. Their magical dust protects the plant life by filling their blooms with special powers. They illuminate the area with their bright fairy lights. The fay folk are wise, bold, gentle, and brave as they protect the flowers and trees throughout the night. They play hide and seek to pass the time and are mischievous little creatures. They love all flowers, whether they are dangerous or not. The fairies tend to each flower to feed and to heal them, keeping them pretty and bright with sweet and fragrant smells. These creatures serve their queen and you by keeping your garden healthy and bright.
I thought Believe In Fairies by Wayne Gerard Trotman and Sherrie Trotman was an adorable read. I love stories about the fairy folk and this one was written perfectly for children. It also has an important lesson to teach as well. If you plant many beautiful flowers and plants, the fairy folk will care for them during the night. Planting flowers helps the environment not only by producing seeds to create more plants, but also to create more oxygen in the air. The story is very well written and the illustrations are gorgeous and fit with the storyline perfectly. I feel Wayne Gerard Trotman and Sherrie Trotman have done a wonderful job with Believe In Fairies. It’s a book I would definitely recommend to others.
Believe in fairies that come out at night
So beautiful, magical, and joyous a sight
From the realm of the fays, across the sea
Watch as they play in the hollow of a tree
They keep many fields and meadows alive
By helping wild herbs and flowers survive
A fairy tale for the young and the young at heart from an idea by Sherrie Trotman.
Learn to appreciate wildflowers and be inspired to help them grow in this beautifully illustrated rhyming tale for ages 4+.
Believe in Fairies won a silver Literary Titan Book Award 2020
Reviewed by Literary Titan - 4 Stars
Believe in Fairies by Wayne Gerard Trotman and Sherrie Trotman is a children’s story about why you should believe in fairies. It discusses topics such as how devoted fairies are to keeping plants alive. Fairies will put dewdrops on flowers to cool them and cover them with parasols to protect them from the rain! Fairies also love healing, and feeding the weak flowers. They take pride in taking care of their plants and your garden because the beauty of those flowers is what proves that their magic is real.
The authors of this story give beautiful descriptions and rhymes to captivate their readers. They provide details on how the fays take care of plants, and what exactly they do for them. The art is vibrant with plenty of action on the page that will certainly capture a child’s interest. I especially loved a sad little snail that appears about halfway through, so cute. There is much to learn and see while reading Believe in Fairies which is why I found this book to be so enjoyable!
Believe in Fairies is an enchanting poetry book that I think is perfect for young readers. Children will learn a lot about the fairies and walk away with a better appreciation for nature. Wayne Gerard Trotman and Sherrie Trotman will have readers believing in fairies in no time.
Pages: 32 | ISBN:1916184863
Reviewed by Tiffany Ferrell for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
In the children’s book Believe In Fairies, we are introduced to the magical fay who come out at night and play. They keep the meadows and fields alive with their magic. Their magical dust protects the plant life by filling their blooms with special powers. They illuminate the area with their bright fairy lights. The fay folk are wise, bold, gentle, and brave as they protect the flowers and trees throughout the night. They play hide and seek to pass the time and are mischievous little creatures. They love all flowers, whether they are dangerous or not. The fairies tend to each flower to feed and to heal them, keeping them pretty and bright with sweet and fragrant smells. These creatures serve their queen and you by keeping your garden healthy and bright.
I thought Believe In Fairies by Wayne Gerard Trotman and Sherrie Trotman was an adorable read. I love stories about the fairy folk and this one was written perfectly for children. It also has an important lesson to teach as well. If you plant many beautiful flowers and plants, the fairy folk will care for them during the night. Planting flowers helps the environment not only by producing seeds to create more plants, but also to create more oxygen in the air. The story is very well written and the illustrations are gorgeous and fit with the storyline perfectly. I feel Wayne Gerard Trotman and Sherrie Trotman have done a wonderful job with Believe In Fairies. It’s a book I would definitely recommend to others.
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A Letter from a Gorilla (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories)
Juvenile Fiction, Illustrated, Poetry, Gorillas
To Whom It May Concern:
I am a gorilla, you may be surprised to learn
And, although my words may bite and burn
With this letter, your respect I hope to earn
Silverback Jeremy is a mountain gorilla who lives in Africa. If he could write us a letter, what do you think he would say? Discover why the mountain gorilla has become critically endangered and learn what we can do to protect these noble animals in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 5+.
A Letter from a Gorilla won a gold Literary Titan Book Award 2021
Reviewed by Literary Titan - 5 Stars
This creative children’s rhyming book explains the perils that gorillas face in the wild. The narration is provided through a letter written by Silverback Jeremy, a mountain gorilla that pens a letter to humans in hopes of educating them on all the man-made challenges that gorillas face.
A Letter from a Gorilla, while cute, tells a very serious story. This story explains, in very simple terms, how gorillas face extinction and shows the different ways that man is endangering them. What I really liked about this story was that it went beyond stating the ways that their species are at peril and provides different ways for people to change and take action to protect these majestic creatures that, as we learn through the story, are much like us.
The beautiful illustrations really drive the points home with some vivid, dramatic, and well-drawn imagery. The language is easy for children to understand, but I think the book should be read with adults as this book provides plenty to talk about afterwards. This picture book provides readers with a sad but very important story that is perfect for teachers to add to their curriculum about primates, endangered animals, and how our actions affect nature.
Pages: 32 | ISBN: 1916184855
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
How many of you know how to write a letter, and have actually written a letter? Do you enjoy writing letters and, better yet, receiving them in the mailbox (not the email box, but the real mailbox)? Well, there is a gorilla named Silverback Jeremy who has written a letter and he wants us all to read it. He speaks of the dangers and threats we humans pose to our natural environment and to the natural places he and so many other animals call home. In his letter, he compares gorillas to humans, pointing out that we really aren't that different, but we humans seem to care less about the world around us and others who live in this world.
Wayne Gerard Trotman's picture book story, A Letter From a Gorilla, is written in rhyming verse and in the form of a personal letter to all of us. Accompanied by beautiful illustrations, this story describes the gorilla, his natural habitat, and how humans are a threat to the lives of gorillas and so many other wild animals. The letter begins by pointing out the similarities between gorillas and humans: "Your cruelty surprises me, for your knowledge is vast/ But it seems that man has forgotten his distant past/ However, there are certain truths we gorillas hold fast/ Men and gorillas are relatives, from first to last." And the letter goes on to describe the similarities before pointing out the bad impact humans are having on the world around them. Sadly, gorillas are becoming an endangered species, like so many other wild animals, and this letter is cleverly constructed to point out the many ways we humans have threatened their continuance on this planet. A powerful message in a well-constructed letter.
To Whom It May Concern:
I am a gorilla, you may be surprised to learn
And, although my words may bite and burn
With this letter, your respect I hope to earn
Silverback Jeremy is a mountain gorilla who lives in Africa. If he could write us a letter, what do you think he would say? Discover why the mountain gorilla has become critically endangered and learn what we can do to protect these noble animals in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 5+.
A Letter from a Gorilla won a gold Literary Titan Book Award 2021
Reviewed by Literary Titan - 5 Stars
This creative children’s rhyming book explains the perils that gorillas face in the wild. The narration is provided through a letter written by Silverback Jeremy, a mountain gorilla that pens a letter to humans in hopes of educating them on all the man-made challenges that gorillas face.
A Letter from a Gorilla, while cute, tells a very serious story. This story explains, in very simple terms, how gorillas face extinction and shows the different ways that man is endangering them. What I really liked about this story was that it went beyond stating the ways that their species are at peril and provides different ways for people to change and take action to protect these majestic creatures that, as we learn through the story, are much like us.
The beautiful illustrations really drive the points home with some vivid, dramatic, and well-drawn imagery. The language is easy for children to understand, but I think the book should be read with adults as this book provides plenty to talk about afterwards. This picture book provides readers with a sad but very important story that is perfect for teachers to add to their curriculum about primates, endangered animals, and how our actions affect nature.
Pages: 32 | ISBN: 1916184855
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
How many of you know how to write a letter, and have actually written a letter? Do you enjoy writing letters and, better yet, receiving them in the mailbox (not the email box, but the real mailbox)? Well, there is a gorilla named Silverback Jeremy who has written a letter and he wants us all to read it. He speaks of the dangers and threats we humans pose to our natural environment and to the natural places he and so many other animals call home. In his letter, he compares gorillas to humans, pointing out that we really aren't that different, but we humans seem to care less about the world around us and others who live in this world.
Wayne Gerard Trotman's picture book story, A Letter From a Gorilla, is written in rhyming verse and in the form of a personal letter to all of us. Accompanied by beautiful illustrations, this story describes the gorilla, his natural habitat, and how humans are a threat to the lives of gorillas and so many other wild animals. The letter begins by pointing out the similarities between gorillas and humans: "Your cruelty surprises me, for your knowledge is vast/ But it seems that man has forgotten his distant past/ However, there are certain truths we gorillas hold fast/ Men and gorillas are relatives, from first to last." And the letter goes on to describe the similarities before pointing out the bad impact humans are having on the world around them. Sadly, gorillas are becoming an endangered species, like so many other wild animals, and this letter is cleverly constructed to point out the many ways we humans have threatened their continuance on this planet. A powerful message in a well-constructed letter.
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A Turtle's Adventures (Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories)
Juvenile Fiction, Illustrated, Poetry, Turtles
Shelly the Leatherback Sea Turtle
Had a shell that was painted purple
By a little girl named Lisa May
On a sandy beach at Matura Bay
Shelly, an endangered leatherback sea turtle, the largest of all living turtles, returns to Matura, her hatching beach in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Learn about the threats she faces, as she shares the exciting stories of her adventures, in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 4+.
A Turtle's Adventures won a 2021 Purple Dragonfly Book Award (Honorable Mention for Excellence in Children's Picture Books - Ages 6 and Older).
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Shelly is a leatherback sea turtle. She was born on the beach of Matura Bay in Trinidad, the twelfth hatchling of ninety-five. Imagine having over ninety siblings! As a young turtle, she was rescued by a mysterious stranger from certain death. Saved, she lived a long life, traveling the underwater world from the Caribbean to Africa and back. She has lots of adventures to share and advice too about recycling and not discarding the plastic bags that endanger so many sea creatures, including the leatherback sea turtles.
Wayne Gerard Trotman’s picture book story, A Turtle’s Adventures, is a clever story about sea life, following the travelogue shared by one special leatherback sea turtle named Shelly. Told in rhyming verse in a conversational tone between an unknown person asking Shelly about her story and, of course, Shelly regaling her tale, and with beautiful, bright colorful illustrations, this lyrical story will both entertain and educate young readers about sea life, ecology, the importance of recycling and so much more. Through Shelly’s sharing of her adventures, young readers will learn all about leatherback sea turtles, how they learn to swim, how they evade capture from bigger predators like whales and more. I love the way the author changes course. After describing a near-miss whale attack, he shares Shelly’s most dangerous enemy: plastic. “Although whales and sharks can break my shell/ Plastic bags are more dangerous where I dwell/ They look a lot like my favorite jellyfish/ But, plastic rubbish is the deadliest dish.” A compelling comparison that will hit home with its message. Overall, a beautiful story told with care and compassion and lots of interesting tidbits about leatherback sea turtles.
Shelly the Leatherback Sea Turtle
Had a shell that was painted purple
By a little girl named Lisa May
On a sandy beach at Matura Bay
Shelly, an endangered leatherback sea turtle, the largest of all living turtles, returns to Matura, her hatching beach in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Learn about the threats she faces, as she shares the exciting stories of her adventures, in this beautifully illustrated rhyming story for ages 4+.
A Turtle's Adventures won a 2021 Purple Dragonfly Book Award (Honorable Mention for Excellence in Children's Picture Books - Ages 6 and Older).
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Shelly is a leatherback sea turtle. She was born on the beach of Matura Bay in Trinidad, the twelfth hatchling of ninety-five. Imagine having over ninety siblings! As a young turtle, she was rescued by a mysterious stranger from certain death. Saved, she lived a long life, traveling the underwater world from the Caribbean to Africa and back. She has lots of adventures to share and advice too about recycling and not discarding the plastic bags that endanger so many sea creatures, including the leatherback sea turtles.
Wayne Gerard Trotman’s picture book story, A Turtle’s Adventures, is a clever story about sea life, following the travelogue shared by one special leatherback sea turtle named Shelly. Told in rhyming verse in a conversational tone between an unknown person asking Shelly about her story and, of course, Shelly regaling her tale, and with beautiful, bright colorful illustrations, this lyrical story will both entertain and educate young readers about sea life, ecology, the importance of recycling and so much more. Through Shelly’s sharing of her adventures, young readers will learn all about leatherback sea turtles, how they learn to swim, how they evade capture from bigger predators like whales and more. I love the way the author changes course. After describing a near-miss whale attack, he shares Shelly’s most dangerous enemy: plastic. “Although whales and sharks can break my shell/ Plastic bags are more dangerous where I dwell/ They look a lot like my favorite jellyfish/ But, plastic rubbish is the deadliest dish.” A compelling comparison that will hit home with its message. Overall, a beautiful story told with care and compassion and lots of interesting tidbits about leatherback sea turtles.
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Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories: An Anthology of Seven Illustrated
Children's Poems
Juvenile Fiction, Illustrated, Poetry, Conservation, Fairy Tale
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories is a 270-page anthology of seven award-winning illustrated children's poems introduced by Benjamin Zephaniah:
The Last Honey Bee [Finalist - The Wishing Shelf Book Awards]
A Tiger's Tale [Silver - The Wishing Shelf Book Awards]
An Elephant's Advice [Winner - Purple Dragonfly Book Award]
Mattie Boombalatty [Gold - Literary Titan Book Awards]
Song of the Blue Whale [Gold - Literary Titan Book Awards]
A Letter from a Gorilla [Gold - Literary Titan Book Awards]
A Turtle's Adventures [Winner - Purple Dragonfly Book Award]
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories was a finalist in the 2021 Readers' Favorite Book Award Contest, in the category Children - Educational.
Reviewed by Trisha Dawn for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories: An Anthology of Seven Illustrated Children's Poems is a collection of different, witty poems focused on different modern concerns. The book starts off with a poem about honey bees, followed by a poem about the animals from the forests and seas, and a poem about a pure-hearted girl and her struggles in her new life in the city. Each page is filled with amazing and vibrant illustrations that children would surely adore. Join the characters of each poem as they tell the story of a whole different world from their perspective!
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories, introduced by Benjamin Zephaniah, is a fascinating and lovely series of poems that parents will surely enjoy reading with their children. It is filled with lessons mostly about the environment and animals, which is exactly what children need. The different poems truly helped me see the problems we are currently facing in our environment. Each poem has eye-catching illustrations, illustrated by Nhat Hao Nguyen, which added to the beauty of the stories and helped me clearly visualize the message each poem was trying to impart. I felt the sadness in each poem as they struggled to get through the problems they were facing and even sadder knowing that these problems are really happening around us. This book not only teaches us the consequences of the irresponsibility of mankind’s actions but also presents us with solutions to help make the world a better place. Overall, this was truly an eye-opening and awe-inspiring book. Well done!
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
An orphaned honeybee tells its sad tale of being alone, lonely, and unable to pollinate our fruit trees or even make honey. Sad, but true, that honeybees are an endangered species. Telling the story from a honeybee’s point of view makes the tale all the more electrifying. “I’m from a land/ Across the sea/ An unhappy land/ Oh, what a pity/ There’s no more milk/ And no more honey/ In what was once/ A place of plenty.” The honeybee keeps meeting other living creatures and trying to explain its plight. It’s a sad tale, almost too close to the truth. And then there’s the story of Tun Tun, the six-year-old elephant whose greatest fear is the human poacher who threatens his family. “Run Tun Tun Tun, run Tun Tun/ I see a poacher with his gun/ Don’t wait for me just quickly flee/ Run Tun Tun Tun, run Tun Tun.” You can hear the panic in Tun Tun’s mother’s voice; the poacher, of course, means danger.
Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Rhyming Stories: An Anthology of Seven Illustrated Children’s Poems is a compelling look at what we’ve done to our planet. Stories told in rhyming verse and accompanied by vibrant, colorful illustrations will teach readers young and old about the plight of other life forms on our planet and their struggle for survival. These are teaching stories, but parables too, cleverly told using the voice of the oppressed. The lyrical nature of the rhyming verses makes the stories sing their sorry tale and hopefully, the reader will listen, learn, and do all they can to change this downward trend toward disaster. But the stories are also fun, intuitive, and very insightful. These are stories about “all creatures great and small” told with both care and compassion.
Reviewed by Bruce Arrington for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories: An Anthology of Seven Illustrated Children's Poems by Wayne Gerard Trotman is a collection of seven different stories, all in one large volume. The target audience is children, and so the illustrations are geared toward that age group. Most of the stories (The Last Honey Bee, A Tiger’s Tale, An Elephant’s Advice, Song of the Blue Whale, A Letter From a Gorilla, and A Turtle’s Adventures) have strong conservation themes, targeting humans as the underlying cause of species population problems.
Fortunately, the book also goes on to show that people can be a part of the solution instead of only the problem. This gives the reader a more hopeful view of how problems can be solved. The story, Mattie Boombalatty, is about a girl who is forced to move with her family because of a lost job. But the school is full of bullies and she has to deal with them. This is a fantasy story wherein a magical creature takes justice into his own hands, jeopardizing the lives of the bullies. Will Mattie stand up for them or let them go to ruin?
The artwork is professional, colorful, and filled with lots of detail that will make the reader want to come back again and again. The artistic aspect helps young readers connect much better with the messages presented by the author. Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories: An Anthology of Seven Illustrated Children's Poems is a recommended collection that will inspire young readers.
About the Author:
Wayne Gerard Lionel Trotman is a British-Trinidadian award-winning writer, filmmaker, artist, photographer, composer and producer of electronic music. Born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, he immigrated to England in 1984 where he studied painting under Daphne Todd OBE at the Heatherley School of Fine Art in Chelsea, London. He is an author of rhyming children's books, action-packed thrillers, horror, fantasy and science fiction for adults and young adults, and inspiring cooking and travel non-fiction titles. His novel Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest is a coming-of-age, science-fiction adventure story set in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and presented with much of its dialogue in authentic Trinidadian Creole. The epic novel explores the culture of Trinidad and Tobago and combines legends and characters from Trinbago folklore, including Papa Bois, Soucouyant, Douen and Mama Dlo, with the themes of wildlife conservation, redemption, and forgiveness. The novel was academically reviewed in Supernatural Literature, a 3-volume encyclopaedia published by St. James Press covering the literature of the supernatural across the canon, including such notable works as Shakespeare's Hamlet, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Trotman is the most quoted author of Caribbean origin. His photographs are available via Getty Images, and he runs the award-winning blog: Red Moon Chronicle for which he has interviewed some of the biggest names in science fiction and fantasy.
Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah is a British poet, playwright and author who was born and raised in Birmingham, England. In 2008, he was included in The Times list of Britain's top 50 post-war writers. Zephaniah won the BBC Young Playwright's Award. He has been awarded honorary doctorates by the University of North London (in 1998), the University of Central England (in 1999), Staffordshire University (in 2001), London South Bank University (in 2003), the University of Exeter and the University of Westminster (in 2006). On 17 July 2008, Zephaniah received an honorary doctorate from the University of Birmingham. Zephaniah is an honorary patron of The Vegan Society and Viva! (Vegetarians' International Voice for Animals). As an actor, Zephaniah appears in Peaky Blinders as Jeremiah Jesus.
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories is a 270-page anthology of seven award-winning illustrated children's poems introduced by Benjamin Zephaniah:
The Last Honey Bee [Finalist - The Wishing Shelf Book Awards]
A Tiger's Tale [Silver - The Wishing Shelf Book Awards]
An Elephant's Advice [Winner - Purple Dragonfly Book Award]
Mattie Boombalatty [Gold - Literary Titan Book Awards]
Song of the Blue Whale [Gold - Literary Titan Book Awards]
A Letter from a Gorilla [Gold - Literary Titan Book Awards]
A Turtle's Adventures [Winner - Purple Dragonfly Book Award]
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories was a finalist in the 2021 Readers' Favorite Book Award Contest, in the category Children - Educational.
Reviewed by Trisha Dawn for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories: An Anthology of Seven Illustrated Children's Poems is a collection of different, witty poems focused on different modern concerns. The book starts off with a poem about honey bees, followed by a poem about the animals from the forests and seas, and a poem about a pure-hearted girl and her struggles in her new life in the city. Each page is filled with amazing and vibrant illustrations that children would surely adore. Join the characters of each poem as they tell the story of a whole different world from their perspective!
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories, introduced by Benjamin Zephaniah, is a fascinating and lovely series of poems that parents will surely enjoy reading with their children. It is filled with lessons mostly about the environment and animals, which is exactly what children need. The different poems truly helped me see the problems we are currently facing in our environment. Each poem has eye-catching illustrations, illustrated by Nhat Hao Nguyen, which added to the beauty of the stories and helped me clearly visualize the message each poem was trying to impart. I felt the sadness in each poem as they struggled to get through the problems they were facing and even sadder knowing that these problems are really happening around us. This book not only teaches us the consequences of the irresponsibility of mankind’s actions but also presents us with solutions to help make the world a better place. Overall, this was truly an eye-opening and awe-inspiring book. Well done!
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
An orphaned honeybee tells its sad tale of being alone, lonely, and unable to pollinate our fruit trees or even make honey. Sad, but true, that honeybees are an endangered species. Telling the story from a honeybee’s point of view makes the tale all the more electrifying. “I’m from a land/ Across the sea/ An unhappy land/ Oh, what a pity/ There’s no more milk/ And no more honey/ In what was once/ A place of plenty.” The honeybee keeps meeting other living creatures and trying to explain its plight. It’s a sad tale, almost too close to the truth. And then there’s the story of Tun Tun, the six-year-old elephant whose greatest fear is the human poacher who threatens his family. “Run Tun Tun Tun, run Tun Tun/ I see a poacher with his gun/ Don’t wait for me just quickly flee/ Run Tun Tun Tun, run Tun Tun.” You can hear the panic in Tun Tun’s mother’s voice; the poacher, of course, means danger.
Wayne Gerard Trotman’s Rhyming Stories: An Anthology of Seven Illustrated Children’s Poems is a compelling look at what we’ve done to our planet. Stories told in rhyming verse and accompanied by vibrant, colorful illustrations will teach readers young and old about the plight of other life forms on our planet and their struggle for survival. These are teaching stories, but parables too, cleverly told using the voice of the oppressed. The lyrical nature of the rhyming verses makes the stories sing their sorry tale and hopefully, the reader will listen, learn, and do all they can to change this downward trend toward disaster. But the stories are also fun, intuitive, and very insightful. These are stories about “all creatures great and small” told with both care and compassion.
Reviewed by Bruce Arrington for Readers' Favorite - 5 Stars
Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories: An Anthology of Seven Illustrated Children's Poems by Wayne Gerard Trotman is a collection of seven different stories, all in one large volume. The target audience is children, and so the illustrations are geared toward that age group. Most of the stories (The Last Honey Bee, A Tiger’s Tale, An Elephant’s Advice, Song of the Blue Whale, A Letter From a Gorilla, and A Turtle’s Adventures) have strong conservation themes, targeting humans as the underlying cause of species population problems.
Fortunately, the book also goes on to show that people can be a part of the solution instead of only the problem. This gives the reader a more hopeful view of how problems can be solved. The story, Mattie Boombalatty, is about a girl who is forced to move with her family because of a lost job. But the school is full of bullies and she has to deal with them. This is a fantasy story wherein a magical creature takes justice into his own hands, jeopardizing the lives of the bullies. Will Mattie stand up for them or let them go to ruin?
The artwork is professional, colorful, and filled with lots of detail that will make the reader want to come back again and again. The artistic aspect helps young readers connect much better with the messages presented by the author. Wayne Gerard Trotman's Rhyming Stories: An Anthology of Seven Illustrated Children's Poems is a recommended collection that will inspire young readers.
About the Author:
Wayne Gerard Lionel Trotman is a British-Trinidadian award-winning writer, filmmaker, artist, photographer, composer and producer of electronic music. Born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, he immigrated to England in 1984 where he studied painting under Daphne Todd OBE at the Heatherley School of Fine Art in Chelsea, London. He is an author of rhyming children's books, action-packed thrillers, horror, fantasy and science fiction for adults and young adults, and inspiring cooking and travel non-fiction titles. His novel Kaya Abaniah and the Father of the Forest is a coming-of-age, science-fiction adventure story set in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and presented with much of its dialogue in authentic Trinidadian Creole. The epic novel explores the culture of Trinidad and Tobago and combines legends and characters from Trinbago folklore, including Papa Bois, Soucouyant, Douen and Mama Dlo, with the themes of wildlife conservation, redemption, and forgiveness. The novel was academically reviewed in Supernatural Literature, a 3-volume encyclopaedia published by St. James Press covering the literature of the supernatural across the canon, including such notable works as Shakespeare's Hamlet, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Trotman is the most quoted author of Caribbean origin. His photographs are available via Getty Images, and he runs the award-winning blog: Red Moon Chronicle for which he has interviewed some of the biggest names in science fiction and fantasy.
Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah is a British poet, playwright and author who was born and raised in Birmingham, England. In 2008, he was included in The Times list of Britain's top 50 post-war writers. Zephaniah won the BBC Young Playwright's Award. He has been awarded honorary doctorates by the University of North London (in 1998), the University of Central England (in 1999), Staffordshire University (in 2001), London South Bank University (in 2003), the University of Exeter and the University of Westminster (in 2006). On 17 July 2008, Zephaniah received an honorary doctorate from the University of Birmingham. Zephaniah is an honorary patron of The Vegan Society and Viva! (Vegetarians' International Voice for Animals). As an actor, Zephaniah appears in Peaky Blinders as Jeremiah Jesus.
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