July was an excellent month for reading. I read a lot of different books including a teen thriller. It wasn't an amazing book, but I can officially say that I've read some kind of thriller.
Here are my July favorites:
Picture This by Molly Bang (Adult Nonfiction)
Reading this is like putting on a new pair of glasses after going to the eye doctor and finding out your prescription has been off. Every picture book I've read since reading Picture This has been read with a new perspective. Each page is filled with intricacies I hadn't noticed before. Bang does a great job explaining how each illustration is broken up into shapes that communicate with each other and to the reader. This is a great resource for artists, writers, and educators. In addition to reading picture books with a closer eye, I can't wait to use what I learned in Picture This for storytimes, teen art/writing workshops, and in my personal art. I will never look at shapes the same way!
Like the Moon Loves the Sky by Hena Khan and illustrated by Saffa Khan (Picture Book)
I paused while reading this to look up the word, 'inshallah,' because I hadn't heard of it before. I had an idea of what it meant, but I appreciate any book that sends me on a word search. I think the message is one all parents can relate to, and was delighted to discover that it's a nugget of the Koran. I like when picture books take something huge and sometimes inaccessible to children and help them understand it better (and me too for that matter). I was also completely gobsmacked by the gorgeous illustrations. I can't get over them. Rich, soothing, flowing, and warm. They're deeply comforting and peaceful. This is definitely a book that gives away free hugs.
Snail Crossing by Corey R. Tabor
Snail is "cabbage bound," and nothing is going to keep him from the crunchy feast. But the cabbage is all the way on the other side of the road with cars and rain and ants and a hungry crow standing in his way. Who knew a craving for cabbage could turn into such a perilous journey? But the snail shelters the ants from the rain, and the ants return that kindness in a beautiful way. It's a perilous cabbage journey paved (and slimed) in sweetness.
A Fire Story by Brian Fies
I'm not sure how a book can be both devastating and inspirational, but A Fire Story is just that. I was amazed that Fies had the presence of mind to immediately begin recording his loss. Also, it's one thing to be vulnerable after you've had time to process something as enormous as losing your home, but to immediately share your hurt with the entire world is really quite brave. Though the artwork was a bit goofy, which didn't match the gravity of the situation, I gradually realized it's probably just Fies' artistic style. There were several eye-opening moments for me. Shortly after the fire, Fies and his wife, Karen, are writing holiday cards and his wife wonders how they're going to find the addresses of their friends without their address book. Fies suggests looking at the envelopes from the previous year and then they both realize they don't have the envelopes either. I also thought the unique perspectives of different neighbors and their fire stories was a thoughtful touch that made this book all the more interesting and heartbreaking. Even after the fire, the sense of Fies' community is still strong. Though neighbors were scattered throughout the area, they still met up with each other. I don't know a single neighbor on my street (with the exception of my mother-in-law) so I found that to be incredibly touching. Fies leaves the story on a positive note, which must have been tough but necessary for him to do. I can't imagine that battle! He leaves the reader with an illustration of daffodils and the hope of building a new house with all the love and memories their last house included.
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