Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief by Katrina Nannestad

 

The title of this book is so important. Little Sasha is living through WWII. He is a very young boy and his mother calls him Little Rabbit.  Sasha lives in a small village in Russia. When the German soldiers march in they brutally destroy his beautiful village. This very young boy is possibly the only survivor because he has been able to run away from, as he describes them, the 'handsome monster princes'. Sasha finds himself lost in the forest but he eventually stumbles on a camp of Red Army soldiers. This group, led by Major Fyodor Gagarin, are on the move desperate to rid their beloved homeland of the scourge of the German army. Sasha is welcomed into the group, given a tiny uniform and some important, non combative duties. And so Little Rabbit begins his march across the land to Stalingrad.

So now you have some idea about the title words Rabbit and Soldier. You will need to read this gripping account to understand Angel and Thief.  

Sasha tells his story, from his hospital bed, as a series of recounted incidents. We are left in suspense as to how he arrived in the hospital and how he survived the horrors of the war. Using objects he 'collects' from his hospital ward, Sasha gradually shares the memories of his journey over the previous three years and, even more importantly, we meet the men and women who kept him safe. Katrina Nannestad has created such real people in her characters. especially Major Fyodor Gagarin who Sasha fondly calls Papa Scruff. 

There is a very appealing structure to this book which has the dual effect of making it easy to read; helping to move the story forward; and working as a device that creates anticipation for the reader as we wait to find out why each object is so important as a memory trigger for Sasha.

One of the aspects of the writing in this book that I really appreciated was the way Katrina Nannestad creates powerful contrasts. For example in the early scenes we read about all the pretty flowers in the village - sunflowers, sun kissed strawberries, larkspur, daffodils and cherry trees covered in blossoms. Then we read about the arrival of the German soldiers and there are words such as hard boots, kicking doors, and stomp, stomp stomp. Then, later, near the end of the book we read about tanks rolling into the city with flowers in their cannons. Such a joyous scene. Another truly special aspect of this book is comes from the way Katrina Nannestad imbues Sasha with deep tenderness and an emotional intelligence well beyond his tender years. I have to say his tiny heart certainly touched mine. 

Katrina explains in her author notes that this while this book is entirely fiction is was inspired by a real boy called Sergi Aleshkov who joined the Red Army when he was between six and eight years of age.

This book will hit the shelves of your favourite bookstore on the 27th October.  I strongly suggest you order your copy now so you can get your hands on this book the day it arrives. If you subscribe to a standing order service this book is sure to be in your October selection for the school library. Huge thanks goes to Beachside Books for my advance copy of Rabbit, Solider, Angel, Thief.

You know I am slightly obsessed with covers - how perfect is this one.  Congratulations to Martina Heiduczek on her beautiful design. Martina also did the cover for We are Wolves which means these two books will look splendid when placed together on your shelves and the published edition will be in hardcover for a really great price. 

Naturally you will want to read We are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad which also explores the experiences of children during a war. I am going to predict we will see Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief short listed for many Australian book awards. Here are some other Katrina Nannestad books I have also read and enjoyed:

We are Wolves

The Girl who bought Mischief

Olive of Groves

The Travelling Bookshop

The Wolf's Secret by Myriam Dahman and Nicolas Digard illustrated by Júlia Sardá

"His fur was dark like tree bark after the rain. His eyes were golden like the rising moon. "

"Her hair was dark like the woods and wild like the grass. In the depths of her amber eyes, the Wolf sensed a tenderness that touched his heart."

The wolf is a wild creature but from the edge of the forest he observes a young woman and her daily routine of collecting water and care of her dying father. He loves to hear her sing, "but one morning the young woman didn't come to the well." Her father has died.

In fairy tales we often read about the reward of a good deed. The Wolf catches a rabbit. He hears a voice say "Set me free ... and in return I will help you. I know your sorrow." The rabbit changes into a wizard and his advice is to follow the music but to also remember every choice has a consequence. At the top of a mountain the Wolf finds an enormous egg in a nest. He puts his head through a strap attached to the egg and it shrinks into a bell. Wearing the bell he returns to the young woman. 

The tiny bell gives the Wolf the power of human speech. For seven days the Wolf sits behind the young woman, she sings and he tells stories of the forest. At night the Wolf tries to hunt for his food but the tiny bell alerts his prey. Eventually the Wolf collapses from hunger. When he awakes he discovers the young woman has removed the bell. He can no longer speak to her but since she now has the talisman around her neck some thing miraculous has happened. 

At first I thought this book by French author Myriam Dahman was a translated book, and one review even mentioned this, but I am now fairly sure Myriam and Nicola, also from France, wrote this book in English. 

If you enjoy owning scrumptious books with rich illustrations and intriguing stories I suggest you add this book to your shopping list. Take a look at Júlia Sardá's art here. She lives in Barcelona.

This sumptuous hardback gift book, with gold foil detail, is perfect for lovers of fairy tales and fables, new and old. Hachette Australia

A beautiful and lyrical contemporary fairy tale about difference, trust and the power of friendship to overcome any obstacle, stunningly illustrated in rich autumnal colours ... Achucka

Julia Sarda has created a mysterious, mythical forest in which a bereaved girl finds solace in the company of animals and the rich darkness of leaf and earth. Dahman and Digard’s story turns Red Riding Hood on its head and celebrates the connection we have with the natural world rather than our disconnect from it: less of a fairy-tale style warning of the danger of wild animals than an acknowledgement of the wild within ourselves. Gorgeous. Book Trust

This story resonates on many levels and is a constant feast for the eye with its sumptuous illustrations reminiscent of those in old Russian tales. StoryLinks

Companion reads:

Bear and Wolf

Cherryblossom and the Golden Bear

Dragon Skin by Karen Foxlee illustrated by Dale Newman

Look at this wonderful opening sentence:

"She didn't want to go home and that's why she found it."

This is a powerful opening sentence that just demands you read on (and on and on). What is happening at home? Is it something bad? What did she find? Who is this girl? Where is she? 

Home? Read on and see how Karen Foxlee is a master of word placement and choice:

"Matt would have come home and the screen door would have slammed hard and his tool bag would have crashed down on the kitchen bench. They would have flinched ... "

"Matt liked Pip in her room with the light off and the door closed so he could have her mum all to himself. He didn't like any competition. Competition made him angry."

"Now he was sitting drinking his coffee and scrolling through Facebook and stealing all the oxygen. Her mother and her had to survive on small sips of air."

"He was dangerous like hairpin bends in the road."

"Matt was made complete out of anger. He was an armour of anger and he had anger blood and he had a heart that was solid anger."

Now we know why Pip doesn't want to go home. Home is not a safe place. Pip knows her mother feels this too but leaving will take great courage.  In the meantime what has she found?

"I will save you.

I will help you.

I will fix your wings.

I was chosen."

Pip has found a baby dragon. 

I adore the way Karen Foxlee references Australia in her story. Mika tells Pip they might be bunyips at the waterhole. If this book is taken up by a US publisher I wonder what they will make of bunyips!

There is just so much to love about this book. The writing is powerful. The title is perfect and contains more than one meaning which will be revealed as you read. And this whole book is utterly brave! Karen Foxlee creates the most amazing tension in this story. Yes I've shared enough text with you so you know about Matt and his temper and way of controlling her mum but there is also the tension about Pip's friend Mika. I am not going to spoil this important story strand. And there is the little dragon himself. Pip names him Little Fella. He has come into Pip's life at just the right time. She has something to love and in turn this tiny creature helps her navigate this year of loss and fear. Little Fella also helps her make special new friends. I read one reviewer (Goodreads) who said summed this book up perfectly "So lovely, so heart-breaking and then heart-mending."  My only other personal comment about this book is that I deeply hope the terrible violence she describes in the relationship between Matt and Pip's mum was not based on any aspect of Karen's own life.  

I'm in love with this book. Dragon Skin is surprising, beautiful, unique. The characters are wonderfully drawn - tough but vulnerable, hurt but hopeful, damaged but strong. They've lodged themselves in my heart forever.' Katrina Nannestad

Dragon Skin will be available from tomorrow and I am certain it will be listed for many awards here in Australia and perhaps beyond. School libraries who subscribe to standing order services will receive this book in their book package but if you are in a library, and you don't purchase books this way, I strongly suggest you add Dragon Skin to your book shopping list NOW!  And YES this is a book for Upper Primary (mature readers aged 11+ look at the labels at the bottom of this post) and High Schools too. I am also thrilled that this book is such a great price at less then $20 for the hardcover. 

A friend from our IBBY committee sent me an Advance Reader copy of Dragon Skin and then the publisher Allen and Unwin (thanks go to Yvette Gilfillan) sent me the finished copy which is a beautifully designed hardback with an embossed cover. Take a look at this twelve page chapter sampler. 

Karen Foxlee books just get better and better.  Take a look at some here:

Lenny's Book of Everything

A Most Magical Girl

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy

Companion reads:

A Game of Fox and Squirrels

One for the Murphys

The Star Outside my Window

One more thing - you already know I am obsessive about covers.  Here is the paperback cover for the UK edition of Dragon Skin due out at the end of October. 

Rules for Vampires by Alex Foulkes illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

Lady Eleonore von Motteberg is a young vampire. She is better known as Leo. This story opens on the night of her one hundred and eleventh birthday. It is the night of the Waxing Moon. On this night Leo must complete her first Hunt, killing a human in order to drink fresh blood. Sorry I know this sounds horrible. There is a huge amount of pressure on Leo from her fearsome mother Sieglinde von Motteberg. Leo must complete her first Hunt tonight. A failed Hunt will not be tolerated. 

Leo has been preparing for this night. She does not want to disappoint her powerful mother. From the castle up on Mount Moth, Leo has made regular night visits to the town of Otto's End. Leo has decided the local orphanage will be the perfect place to complete her task. For travel, vampires use the GRIMWALK, but sadly Leo had the most terrible accident many years ago. She lost her leg on her first grimwalk and she now relies on a prosthetic one fashioned by her father. 

As the title suggests, there are important rules all Vampires must follow. Most are things you might expect involving garlic, silver, reflections and the consumption of blood.  There is a also a rule that a vampire cannot enter a house uninvited. 

On arrival at the orphanage, Leo finds a young girl sorting papers in a darkened room. Minna short for Wilhelmina, has her own plans. The owner of the orphanage is an evil and cruel man. Minna knows he about to sell of the orphans for a tidy profit. Leo hypnotises Minna in order to be invited into the room. Minna is not alone in this room. A scuffle ensues, a lamp is knocked over, there is a fire, Leo does not succeed in the Hunt and now she is responsible for two ghosts. Minna, now a ghost, will need to team up with Leo to thwart the Orphanmaster who in a short time will rise as a ghost with terrifying power and the girls must be complete this task in just seven days. The girls need to gather some special supplies, track down the Orphanmaster and prepare for the battle.

I picked up an advance reader copy of this book from Beachside Bookshop a couple of weeks ago. I am working my way through the books in my bag and this is one I put towards the end of the pile. Vampires are not really my thing. Today was a rainy day so I pick up Rules for Vampires and I read all 342 in almost one sitting. YES it is good! My copy says this book will be out in September but I just checked with a bookseller and the Australian release date is 17th November, 2021. If you are reading this post from the UK it has already been released into your shops. 

There are vampires in this book and ghosts and gruesome battle scenes but there are also light touches of humour and completely splendid descriptions. This book feels like you are watching a film unfold - the writing is so cinematic. Alex Foulkes creates an amazing world in her story. I also loved all the small details in this story which are left to your imagination. Leo is not really the daughter of Sieglinde and Dietmar, she was once a human child with human parents. Minna's own father lived in the same orphanage and he has a connection with the Orphanmaster's wife which goes part of the way to explain why the Orphanmaster is out for revenge. Most of all I need to know more about the butler/nanny called Marged who wears a full suit of knights armour and is devoted to Leo. Oh and the birthday party foods which feature so many things made from blood would surely make an excellent book talk extract to read to a group of students aged 10+.

In this video Alex talks about her book and she reads an extract. She also shares some of the art from this book which was not included in my Advance copy. 

As I mentioned there are wonderful descriptions in this book. I've marked up some excellent ones in my copy only to discover this book is not due to be published (even though my copy says September) but I can't resist letting you 'see' Leo.

"Leo was rake-thin and six feet tall. Her claw-tipped fingers reached past her knees, her skin was luminous grey. Her eyes were dark caverns that turned into catlike slits in lamplight ... Her smile was full of needles; her teeth, sharp as any blade."

And here is a description of her mum:

"In stepped an arresting figure, pale as marble, and equally as stony. She seemed to glide, graceful as she was gaunt. Her voluminous grey cape was adorned with furs. Her silvery hair was swept back from her pinched face, sloping-nosed and pointy eared, and her black, bottomless eyes ... "

Love Reading4Kids include some reviews by young readers on their page. The publisher likens this book to Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy and I agree. You can read a few pages here.

The writing is slick as blood, with smart turns of phrase that Lemony Snicket aficionados will adore, and cracking whip-smart dialogue that drives the story at bat-out-of-hell pace. Oh, and it’s divinely packed with a cast of top quality, quirky characters Love Reading4Kids

Here is the cover of the US edition due out in late November, 2021.

Companion reads:

A very Unusual Pursuit - City of Orphans

Barnaby Grimes - Curse of the Night Wolf

A most magical girl

The Jackie Morris Book of Classic Nursery Rhymes

"Here in this book are rhymes that are playful, nonsense verses, small tales told, and lullabies for quiet times. Each should be spoken or sung, for this is a book for sharing, for young and for old, drawing people together in a celebration of language."

I mentioned this book yesterday when I shared the work of Jackie Morris with you. This book was first published in 2011 with the title The Cat and the Fiddle. The new edition was released in 2020.  In this post I just wanted to dig a little deeper into this book which contains 40 nursery rhymes.

In her introduction Jackie says:

"Reading with children is one of the best ways to spend time together, close and intimate in the sharing of a book. It is my hope that this book will become a treasured part of childhood, keeping the memory of these rhymes alive for future generations."

Now onto the rhymes. Some you will know such as Jack be Nimble; Hickory, Dickory, Dock; Pop! Goes the weasel; Twinkle twinkle little star; Sing a song of sixpence and Baa, baa black sheep.

Others may be unfamiliar. Here is the full text of some I didn't know but enjoyed:

Baby's Bed's a Silver Moon (Alice Riley)

Baby's bed's a silver moon,

Sailing o'er the sky,

Sailing o'er the sea of sleep,

While the stars float by.

Sail baby sail

Far across the sea

Only don't forget to come

Back again to me.

Baby's fishing for a dream

Fishing near and far

Her line a silver moonbeam is

Her bait a silver star

Sail baby sail

Far across the sea

Only don't forget to come

The First of May

The fair maid who, the first of May, 

Goes to the fields at break of day, 

And washes in dew from the hawthorn-tree, 

Will ever after handsome be.

There was an Old Woman

There was an old woman tossed up in a basket,

Seventeen times as high as the moon,

Where she was going, I could not but ask it,

For in her hands she carried a broom.

'Old woman, old woman, old woman' said I,

O wither, O wither, O wither so high?

To sweep the cobwebs from the sky,

But I’ll be with thee by-and-by.

Image Source: Booktopia

You can see more of the illustrations on the publisher web site. I also need to mention the beautiful end papers found in this book:

Meet the illustrator Jackie Morris

Jackie Morris is a picture book author and illustrator you are sure to fall in love with. Her art is sophisticated and rich. I was not surprised to read her list of favourite things:

Blue, cats, the smell of honeysuckle, rose petals, birds, words, fires, good books, crayons and paint, the smell of a new book, polar bears, moonlight and moonshadows, stars, sunrise, sunset, dew on the grass, poetry, red, random acts of kindness, long gold grass of late summer, the sound of the wind in the trees, the brush of a butterfly’s wings, the fragility of bone, wasp’s nests, washing on a line blowing in the wind on a sunny winter’s day, the patterns the sea draws on a beach each day and night. Jackie Morris

The two books at the top of this post are Lord of the Forest and The Snow Leopard. You can see more of her art in this gallery. 

Back in the not so distant past when we could still visit bookshops (yes there is a covid lock down in my city) I spied this beautiful Nursery Rhyme book with illustrations by UK author and illustrator Jackie Morris. This book is a reprint of a book originally published in 2011 with the title The Cat and the Fiddle: A treasury of nursery rhymes. I added new edition to my shopping list and some weeks later I placed an order with a discount book seller. Now, after nearly four months, the book has finally arrived. 

Inside this book you will find some familiar rhymes along side many which you may not know. This book would make a lovely gift for a new baby or perhaps for a new grandparent. Jackie reads her book in this video. 

The entire book has a dream-like, timeless quality to it thanks to the exquisite watercolour paintings that grace every spread. Red Reading Hub

Jackie has a beautiful website which is to be expected given her artistic style. I have mentioned Jackie Morris in a previous posts

The White Fox

I also mentioned her famous book, winner of the 2019 Greenaway medal, The Lost words in this post.

Here are some more books by Jackie:

Here is a list of some other books to explore. I am very keen to source a copy of The Wild Swans which is one of my favourite fairy tales. I have put the original cover here. A new edition, with a different cover, will be available later this year.

The Seal Children (2004)

Can You See a Little Bear (2005) with James Mayhew

Illustrations in Little One, We Knew You'd Come (2006) by Sally Lloyd-Jones

The Snow Leopard (2007)

Illustrations in Singing to the Sun (2008) by Vivian French

Tell Me a Dragon (2009)

The Ice Bear (2010)

The Cat and the Fiddle: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes (2011)

Queen of the Sky (2011)

I am Cat (2012)

Song of the Golden Hare (2013)

East of the Sun, West of the Moon (2013)

Illustrations in Starlight Sailor (2013) by James Mayhew

Little Evie in the Wild Wood (2013) illustrated by Catherine Hyde

Something About a Bear (2014)

The Wild Swans (2015)

Cat Walk (2015)

The Quiet Music of Gently Falling Snow (2016)

The White Fox (2016)

The Lost Words (2017) with Robert Macfarlane

Illustrations in Walking on Water: Miracles Jesus Worked (2017) by Mary Hoffman

Illustrations in Lost and Found: Parables Jesus Told (2017) by Mary Hoffman

Mrs Noah's Pockets (2018) illustrated by James Mayhew

The Secret of the Tattered Shoes (2019) with Ehsan Abdollahi

The Lost Spells (2020) with Robert Macfarlane

I am also keen to read the books about Mrs Noah written by Jackie Morris and illustrated by James Mayhew.

Azaria: A true history by Maree Coote

Publisher blurb Walker Books Australia: 

A beautifully illustrated non-fiction picture book that sensitively explores the collision of wilderness and civilisation, explains a famous miscarriage of justice, and examines the role of the media in history-telling, in an appropriate manner for children. A modern day fairy tale, cautionary and unforgettable. Essential reading for students of history and the law, young and old.  When a tiny baby is stolen by a dingo, nobody will believe the truth. Prejudice, ignorance and gossip grip the nation, and the tragedy is transformed into a quest for the truth. Are you sure you know what happened? Azaria is a cautionary tale about justice, the media, wilderness, and the perils of mob thinking. Azaria forms an excellent cross-curricular resource, ideal for class discussion and activity. 

Azaria was short listed this year for our Eve Pownall Award for Information Books. A couple of weeks ago Ann James, from Books Illustrated, suggested the 2022-23 CBCA judges read an interview the Maree Coote reported in Magpies Magazine, Volume 36, No. 2, May 2021. Here are some quotes from the interview:

"The book is about innocence, ignorance and injustice."

"This is very much a story about Place, and so the rock is absolutely at the heart of things. I wanted to insert layers of meaning into the imagery, to impart that other worldly feeling one gets in that desert, that something more is going on here than meets the eye."

"My drawing style is best described as having a collage-like feel ... rough-hewn shapes overlaid on each other."

If you need to understand more about this story take a look at this report from BTN. Here is an article about Azaria written for Books Illustrated. In this video Maree reads her book and shares her motivation for writing this important story. Here is a set of very extensive teachers notes with references suited to use in High School classes. You can see other books by Maree Coote here.

Image Source: Books Illustrated

This picture book is the epitome of a top-quality informational resource with superb illustrations.  It should be essential reading for students of history and law, both young and old. StoryLinks

The large digital illustrations are fantastic at capturing the mood and the place and they support and add to the text so well. From the fabulous colours of the red desert and Uluru, the night time pictures of people looking for Azaria while the sand is covered in dingo footprints and the sad eyes of Lindy. ReadPlus

Her illustrations shimmer with the beauty of the desert; the rich colours of the natural world juxtaposed with the sombre darkness of society and supposition. Kids' Book Review

Just Ducks by Nicola Davies illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino

Rubbino’s mixed-media illustrations, done in a subdued palette of watery greens, grays and browns, truly impress. Kirkus Star review

The first thing a little girl hears each morning is the quack quack quack of the ducks. She sees them on the river bank as she crosses the bridge to school and in the afternoons she and her mother feed the ducks. Around my lake there are signs asking people not to feed bread to the ducks but instead to purchase (cheap) duck food from a local cafe. 

In simple language perfect for younger readers, Nicola Davies explains the feather colours and habits of mallard ducks. "They both have a secret patch of blue on each wing, that I see when they stretch or fly."

I have two reasons for selecting this book from my friend's fabulous library.  First of all I just love illustrations by Salvatore Rubbino which I first saw in the book Ride the Wind. Secondly, I live beside a lake and right now little sets of baby ducks can be seen dutifully following mother ducks along the shore. Everyone, old and young, stop watch because they are so cute!  I have also talked about the splendid work and varied work of Nicola Davies here on this blog especially after she was a featured speaker at the USBBY Conference I attended. 

Just Ducks has an index, a page with extra information about ducks and scattered throughout the text, little facts are shared in a different font expanding on the narrative of that page.  Here are a few of the splendid titles from the Read and Wonder series (Candlewick ) or as Walker Books calls them Nature Storybooks. Read more here from my friend at Kinderbookswitheverything. You can see a Pinterest collection of them here.  These are an essential addition which should be added to every Primary school library.

The Quilt Maker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau illustrated by Gail de Marcken

Over the years the King collected thousands of gifts. Some were practical, some were mysterious and some were whimsical. But the King was not happy. He was sure there was something, some special gift, that would make him happy. Then he heard about the quilts made by an old lady who lived at the top of a mountain. He demanded that she give him a quilt. When she refused he had her captured and chained inside a cave with a huge sleeping bear. 

The old woman was as wise as she was kind. She can see the old bear needs some comfort so from her shawl and pine needles she makes him a soft pillow. The King is now enraged. He orders his soldiers to  place the old woman on a tiny island, barely big enough for her feet to stand, in the middle of the ocean. A tiny bird lands on her shoulder and she makes him a coat from a scrap of her vest. The little sparrow is so grateful he summons hundreds of his friends and they lift the old woman off the island and carry her back to the shore. 

The woman explains to the King the only way she will give him a quilt is if he gives away all of his treasures. As each treasure is gifted she will sew a new square onto his quilt. 

"I give my quilts to those who are poor or homeless ... They are not for the rich."

It takes years and years but eventually all of his treasures are given away and finally the quilt is completed. 

"As I promised you long ago,' the woman said, 'when the day came that you yourself were poor, only then would I give you a quilt.' The king's great sunny laugh made green apples fall and flowers turn his way. 'But I am not poor,' he said. 'I may look poor, but in truth my heart is full to bursting, filled with memories of all the happiness I've given and received. I'm the richest man I know."

If ever a book might inspire you to take up quilting surely this is the one! There is also a strong case for allowing readers to pull the dust jacket off this scrumptious book because hiding underneath is a list of all the treasures collected by the king as represented by quilt pattern names.

I love this rich description of the quilt colours:

"The blues seemed to come from the deepest part of the ocean, the whites from the northernmost snows, the greens and purples from the abundant wildflowers, the reds, oranges, and pinks from the most wonderful sunsets."

I have mentioned The Quilt Makers Gift in previous posts so it seemed odd that I had not talked about this book here in any detail. This is a book I have read to my library groups for many years.  I found this video of the whole book which is really well done. Here are some companion reads:

The Greatest Treasure of Charlemagne the King

The Glassmaker's daughter

The Minstrel and the Dragon Pup

The Most Wonderful Thing

Each page in The Quilt Maker's Gift begins with a small quilt image in the corner reminiscent of illuminated letters found in ancient texts.

I do like the names used for some quilting patterns:

Windblown Square

Northwind

Snail's Trail

Baby's Block

The two books with quilting instructions inspired by this picture book are long out of print but they certainly look very interesting to me (a non quilter).

There is a sequel or actually a prequel to The Quilt Maker's Gift and I will explore this is a future post.