Favorite August Reads Part 2

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy (Adult Nonfiction)

These simple yet powerful statements about friendship, kindness, and cake combined with magnificent illustrations give me the feeling of coming home to a place that only existed in my dreams. My favorite quote, one that I need to remind myself of often, is "One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things." Mackesy's book feels as if Brian Andreas and A.A. Milne invited Mackesy to a party down a rabbit hole. It's definitely a portal to a totally unique world.

Walking by Erling Kagge (Adult Nonfiction)

This is a meandering read, much like walking without a clear plan of where you're going. I enjoyed the observations and quotes and jotted down a handful of books to investigate further. 

Here are a few of my favorite quotes/moments: 

"Journeys of discovery are not something you start doing, but something you gradually stop doing." I think this is something we're all definitely struggling with at the moment - keeping that sense of wonder alive while rooted firmly in one place. 

I also hadn't ever heard of Arne Naess' formula for joy and was wowed by the simplicity of it. It's a reminder that a small increase in your "glow" or joy can outweigh a lot of pain. 

 

Kagge's book was also my first experience with shinrin-yoku (tree-bathing) and how phytoncides from certain trees can benefit humans too. 

I've heard of and firmly believe in the Hippocrates quote, "If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.” But I didn't realize there is a similar Inuit tradition of walking in a straight line away from your home and then marking the spot in the snow where your anger leaves you. I've been thinking about how this could be cathartic for people in my life, myself included and maybe a great way to tie in kindness art. For example, walk until I'm no longer upset and then leave a rock with a kind message for another person. There have been a few times I've been walking off some grumpiness and have seen a piece of kindness art. Sometimes that's all it takes for me to turn my mood around. Perhaps the people who left these nuggets of kindness have read Kagge's book. Who knows? 

Kagge's book is a great celebration of an activity that we all do. It's an inspiration for the mind, heart, and feet.

I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn (Teen Fiction)

I smiled so much while reading I Love You So Mochi that my face hurts. I appreciate Kimi's outlook on life and her enthusiasm for pretty much anything silly and beautiful. Kimi wasn't the only character I enjoyed. The boy she falls in love with, Akira, is sweet and thoughtful. Both her grandparents are kind of kooky, with their own interests and personalities, and easy to love. Though Kimi’s friends are across the ocean for most of the book, they are equally important and unique. Kimi's mom is also an interesting character. Kimi wants her mom to be proud of her and wishes her mom could understand her passion for making clothes. But Kimi also thinks her mom understands her better than anyone she knows and admires her mom for who she is. Though the book is about Kimi, it's not just about her issues and her journey. It's also about all the people she loves. I'll often read books where the entire focus is placed on the main character's journey and life, and the other characters are just there to support the main character's journey. I Love You Mochi is not that book. All the characters matter in Kimi's world. I also loved the setting and all the details. I have never been to Japan, but I felt like I was completely there with Kimi, experiencing it for the first time. The attention to detail is incredible. So many new foods, clothing, and places I have never heard of. I was googling just as fast as I was reading. I can't say enough positive things about I Love you So Mochi. I could go on and on, gushing about what a fantastic read it is.

* Fun Fact: Sarah Kuhn is one of the writers who gushes about Claudia Kishi from The Babysitter's Club on the super short, super fun Netflix documentary, The Claudia Kishi Club.