Book Review: Musings, Moments, and Misadventures by Gina C. Browning

Poet and author Gina C. Browning has put together a beautiful collection of poems about everyday life in Musings, Moments and Misadventures. Over 15 poems appear in this collection of stories about childhood pets, friends, love of home, nature, and more.

I admired Browning's work in her rhyming children's picture book, Moonbeam Dreams. Here, she takes her ability to string together words in a lyrical fashion and blends them with her stunning artwork to create a collection that adults will enjoy. From "Phystie, the Goose" to "Wishes," Browning's prose celebrates those everyday moments and misadventures that can easily be taken for granted.

Like her words, her artwork for Musings, Moments, and Misadventures is simple, yet beautiful. Colorful birds, glorious sunsets, and twisty water rides are just some of the illustrations readers will find within the pages of this lovely collection. This is a book you'll prefer to display rather than tuck into your bookshelf.


Title:  Musings, Moments, and Misadventures
Author: Gina C. Browning
Publisher: Eloquent Books
ISBN-10: 1612040659
ISBN-13: 978-1612040653
SRP:  $20.50

Also available in electronic formats.

This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for my honest opinions. I received no monetary compensation of any kind to provide this review.

Moonbeam Dreams by Gina Browning

Moonbeam Dreams is an intricately rhyming bed-time story written and illustrated by Gina C. Browning. It takes the reader and listeners on a magical, Dr. Seuss-like romp to the Land of Beddie-byes, where they meet all sorts of wonderful and interesting creatures. There are butterflies with gems dripping from their wings, dragons riding in red wagons, Lycra-wearing newts skating on moonbeams, unicorns, a frog climbing a kite-string, extra large snails and cats with fish-tails, and many, many more fun creatures to meet. It’s a positive, up-lifting and fun story that encourages children that almost anything is possible if you can dream it and believe in it strongly enough. It also encourages children to not be afraid of the dark, and that they have the ability to take control of their dreams. It also encourages children to welcome the weird and wonderful things that they might see in their dreams.

It is a story with a vocabulary that a child can learn from and grow into. It is also entertaining and interesting for adults to read as well. It contains some interesting rhyming mechanics, alliteration and 22 bright and colorful, entertaining illustrations.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT MOONBEAM DREAMS:

With colorful, vivid and fun pictures, also illustrated by author Gina Browning, you and your child will delight in the magical and whimsical world where anything is possible and the dreamer controls the world. - Cafe of Dreams

I thought that this was a fun children’s book to read...The rhyming was also a delight. It almost made me want to sing this book out versus reading it. - Cheryl's Book Nook

If your child likes to dream and take fantasy journeys then this would be an excellent book for them to get their hands on. - 4 the Love of Books

There’s so much to love and enjoy about this book. From its unique characters to its lyrical prose and the stunning illustrations, Moonbeam Dreams will captivate young readers and keep them turning the pages, which they will do often, because they will want to read this book time and again. - The Children's and Teens' Book Connection



Writer and illustrator, Gina C. Browning, says some of the verses in her poetry book first came to her in her dreams as she was recovering from surgery years ago.
The poems and illustrations in Moonbeam Dreams gradually evolved into “a keenly rhymed, fantastical romp through a fantasy land, with weird and wonderful characters for readers of any age to enjoy.” Her poetry truly is for the young at heart.
Browning thinks her dreams are fun and adventurous, as she always looks for the positive side to everything. Her book encourages children not to be afraid of the dark, and to believe in themselves and their abilities so that almost anything is possible. Browning says dreams can come true “either in daylight or night” if you believe in them strongly enough.

You can visit Gina online @ http://www.eloquentbooks.com/MoonbeamDreams.html

To see where Gina's virtual book tour stops next, visit http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/