Customer Reviews

Gwinna

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have fallen deeply in love with the stories of Barbara Helen Berger. She is a visual artist of stunning talent. Her pictures breathe with life and light. Her words are even more captivating. They are clear and precise...flowing like water from a mountain spring.

Gwinna is, in my opinion, Berger's masterpiece. At just over a hundred pages, it is a longer work. While Grandfather Twilight, A Lot of Otters, and the Donkey's Dream are great books for children, I would have to recommend Gwinna to children who are a little older or more mature.

Gwinna, at its heart, is a story of many things: it is a story about needing others, it is a story about giving, a story of love and faith and being true. It was a difficult story for me. I often suffer from knowing all too well were a plot is going to go before it gets there...to my delight, Gwinna kept me guessing.

The highest recommendation I can give, I give to Gwinna. It is a fine thing to read a story where the character grows in wondrous and moving ways within the imagination. The reader (unless they miss the story completely) must grow in turn. Gwinna is such a story...get it today.

When I was first given Gwinna as a birthday present(oh, I don't rember what birthday!)I must admit I thought....."Yuck! ANOTHER book, what are my parents thinking? I want a Barbie." Well, I got a Barbie as the next package, but Gwinna has stuck with me much longer. This book is one of the best I have ever read. The moving story is backed up by some of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen. Gwinna takes you to a place that you always knew existed, you just didn't know it exited anywhere beyond you own heart. As you are spun from word to word, and page to page, you will really feel as if you are flying. Now, on the main "Gwinna review page" it says this book is for ages three to eight. Well, I am fourteen going on fifteen, and Gwinna remains a huge influence on my life and one of my favorite books. When I say influence, I mean the same influence you get from reading someone like Tolkien or hearing a beautiful peice of music. Gwinna is a book that makes you feel as if you can reach out and feel the breath of its chairicters. If that doesn't convince you that this is a good book, I don't know what will.

Gwinna is, hands down one of the best books I have ever read. Its moving and beautiful text are backed up by brilliant, exhilirating pictures. When recently I needed to find a gift for my 10 year old cousin I remembered this book. By checking with my aunt and uncle I discovered (to my horror) that we had never sent her this book. Needless to say, I jumped on this as the perfect gift. If any of you are picky shoppers (like me) you will know how hard the perfect gift is to find. It is not just for a ten year old that I would recomed this book either, it's still one of my favorites. Gwinna is one book I can say, without a doubt influenced me. It is the most moving "flight of fancy" imaginable. I recomend this book to anyone who has ever wished for wing to fly out over the horizon. I recomend it even more strongly to those of you who have not, because after Gwinna, you will.

I absolutely loved Gwinna after reading it for the first time in third grade. Now, in high school, I love to relax and just absorb the beautiful pictures and magical story. This book has left a lasting impression on me.

Gwinna is a girl who was given to her parents by the mother of owls. Untill her twelth birthday, Gwinna never knew who her real mother was. Then, on her twelth birthday, her real mother wants her back and the real adventure begins. The pictures in this book are wonderful! Barbara makes it seem like everthing is glowing and enchanted in her pictures. The combination of the touching story and beautiful pictures will make an impression on you you never thought a book could give

This is a definite read-it-out-loud book. It has imagination, heart, a positive message, and really "cool" pictures. Simply the main idea of the story is fascinating, but the author writes it so well and clear,it is perfect for anyone with imagination, be they child or adult.

Gwinna charms and teaches and is glowing with images both delicate and powerful. The wisdom here far outreaches the genre of a children's book and speaks to us all of outgrowing our intermediate comforts and becoming what is next.
This is the tale of initiation, not into the adult world but where even adults fear to go, to be fully human and then to return and offer your gifts. Gwinna is a challenge to us all.

This is an amazing story that I cherished while growing up. It has a few pictures, but mostly is up to the imagination of the child, and boy, can you imagine!

This is a beautiful book. I liked the story, but it was the sensitive, magical art that made me love the book. I've given this book to many friends, both children and adults.

I Adore this book. When I was young I used to take my mom to the library and force her to borrow it time after time for her to read to me and so for me to read for myself. I remember walking into the library and racing upstairs to the children's section much to the librarian's chagrin for my running. This book is beautifully written with exquisite pictures which are actually paintings done by the author. A wonderful story of a girl growing into a woman and the adversity she faces. This is a MUST READ. I bought it so I can read it to my children and they can read it to their children's children. I am 23 years old and I read it again once I bought it for the first time in years. The magic is not gone from this beautiful tale. Each chapter has a magic to share.