Favorite March Reads

March was a great month for reading. Here are my reviews. Enjoy!

The Giver by Lois Lowry and illustrated by P. Craig Russell (Teen Graphic)

Because The Giver is one of my favorite books I was extremely skeptical about this graphic adaptation. After flipping through its pages however, I knew I had to give it a try. When I read the original for the first time I went into it with my 10 year-old mindset and experiences. Everything was in color because I knew nothing else. Then color was ripped away from me, which I remember spending lots of time processing. And then color was given back to me at the end of the book. After I finished The Giver for the first time I immediately read it again so that I could read it the 'right' way. Even though it was many years ago I distinctly remember the guilt and shame I felt at not knowing that kind of wacked-out utopian society could exist. So I was determined to read it again after wising up a bit and probably asking adults a lot of uncomfortable questions. When I flipped through the graphic adaptation I noticed how both the saturation and frequency of color changed. Even though I was skeptical I knew I had to give it a chance. It was too much like my first experience of reading The Giver. The graphic adaptation follows the original story so closely I couldn't discern any large differences, which was such a relief. There isn't as much text as the original, but there's certainly the effort to cram as much of the original text as possible. This caused me some nausea and eye-strain headaches. But I cannot be too upset with P. Craig Russell for this because I can't imagine how tough it would be to omit any of Lowry's words. I thought the coloring was exceptional. The characters were as I imagined them to be, with the exception of The Giver, but just like the wonky text, I came to terms with that as well. The Giver looks a bit like a creepy convict in the graphic adaptation, but he's more clean-cut and less Dumbledore-like, which makes sense because everything about the story suggests that The Giver that graced the original books would have not been acceptable in their society. Scenes where The Giver lays his hands on Jonas' back and bathing the elderly citizens were tastefully done, which really impressed me. Lowry mentions this in a brief interview at the end of the book. And while I'm talking about the two brief interviews at the end of Giver, I must tell you they do not disappoint. I particularly enjoyed Russell's creative process of doing an adaptation, which I won't ruin for you. I will only say that he rips out every page of the original book to get started and what happens next in his creative process blew my mind.

What's in Your Mind Today? by Louise Bladen and Angela Perrini (Picture Book)

This is probably the simplest book about meditation I've read so far! There is a lot of focus on breathing, but not so much that it makes it arduous. Also, the excellent rhyming keeps this book flowing right along. There are moments that invite conversations - when monsters stomp around (scary emotions!) the author writes that the monsters "have no power of their own to stay." Lastly, the illustrations are beautiful, simple like the text, and feature multiple kiddos.

Artful Alphabets by Joanne Sharpe (Adult Nonfiction)

Artful Alphabets is full of hand-lettering inspiration using different mediums and techniques. A couple lettering ideas have a zendoodle-feel to them and the floral ones, though time-intensive, are gorgeous. 

The Art of Whimsical Stitching by Joanne Sharpe (Adult Nonfiction)

A great source of inspiration whether you're looking for a textile project or not. I'm definitely going to try her approach to making a journal cover and play with her doily idea. Other ideas of hers sent me in different artistic directions. For example, her art sampler with the splotches of different types of paint would make a great background for journaling. I usually toss samplers, but I may make a more conscious effort to keep mine more tidy and also save them for background pieces for later projects.

How to Be a Good Creature by Sy Montgomery (Adult Nonfiction)

Favorite moments: I enjoyed Montgomery's essay about collecting emu data, which was really just an excuse to be close to them during her research trip in Australia. "Watching them sit was a major discovery. First they dropped to their 'knees' - what looks like a bird's knee is more analogous to a person's ankle - then, to my surprise, to their chests!" I thought Mongomery's descriptions of the creatures were simply wonderful. From decoding her pet pig, Christopher Hogwood's grunts to the ermine who attacked one of her hens - "...out from the hole popped a white head smaller than a walnut, with coal-black eyes, a pink nose...The ermine's fur was the purest white I had ever seen, whiter than snow or cloud or sea foam - so white it seemed to glow, like the garment of an angel." I was in awe of not just her ability to write simply and beautifully about incredibly complex animals and their behaviors. I was also amazed by the hours upon hours of patient observations that went into each short essay. For example, she spent hours with octopuses attached to her arm, observing their color changes and relishing their beauty and curiosity. "...this was an earthbound alien - someone who could change color and shape, who could pour her baggy forty-pound body through an opening smaller than an orange. Someone with a beak like a parrot and venom like a snake and ink like an old-fashioned pen." There were only a couple things about How to Be a Good Creature that didn't enamor me. The cover of the book is gorgeous, but the illustrations inside could really use some color. I also would have preferred to see the author's pictures in color. But these are small things and didn't detract from how much I enjoyed the book. I did appreciate Montgomery's list of inspirational books and marked a few to read. I was also delighted to discover that Montgomery has written quite a few books. I have so much praise, respect, and admiration for her and cannot wait to read her other books.