Favorite August Reads

The dogs and I have been soaking up the hot summer days while they last.  My favorite way to do this is sitting on the front porch with the dogs at my feet, a giant glass of iced tea, and a stack of books.  

Healing the Divide edited by James Crews (Adult Nonfiction - Poetry Anthology)

What a stellar collection of poems! There were both familiar and unfamiliar poems and poets, which is my favorite blend. 

Favorites: 

In Leo Dangel’s poem, In Memoriam, he writes about his mom carrying him to bed when he was a child and at the end of the poem he says, “she’s still moving me to a softer place.” 

In Tami Haaland’s poem about sleeping with her chihuahua, she writes, “We are bone and bone, muscle and muscle, and underneath each surface a quiet and insistent pulse.” 

Danusha Lameris’ poem, Small Kindnesses was a beautiful reminder that “Mostly we don’t want to harm each other,” which is something I try to think about when dealing with cranky folks at the library. Her lines are like smooth worry stones I’ve been touching to remind myself that the world is kind, that these small kindnesses “…are the true dwelling of the holy, these fleeting temples we make together when we say, ‘Here, have my seat,’ ‘Go ahead—you first,’ ‘I like your hat.’”

Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima (Picture Book)

I think this might be the first time I've felt empathy for a haunted house. Even though the house isn't certain it's haunted, it knows it's scaring families away with its creaking doors and squeaking floors. But then one night a tree starts scratching against the house and curious things happen. The house decides all that strange ruckus was a lot of fun and embraces being haunted. Eventually a family who looks strangely transparent moves in and makes the house a home. If you don't feel all warm and fuzzy after seeing the house looking all smiley and loved, maybe adorable haunted houses living happily ever after just isn't your thing. I also think this would be a great storytime book. There are so many fun sounds and an adorable cat to find on each page. And for a greater challenge, kids can talk about the house's expressions and what it might be feeling or find all the pages that have crows.

The Bird in Me Flies by Sara Lundberg (Nonfiction Picture Book)

A beautifully illustrated biography of one of Sweden's most beloved artists, Berta Hansson and her unwavering resolve to get an education and live her life as an artist. The illustrations in this biography are outstanding. There are so many powerful moments - Berta embracing a cow while her mother is passing away from tuberculosis, the clay bird and the thread of flight woven throughout the story, and the eerie encounter with the moose after her mother's death. I also enjoyed the additional notes at the end about Hansson's life and the picture of her working in her studio.

Shy Ones by Simona Ciraolo (Picture Book)

An adorable search and find book with a not-so-hidden message to seek out the shy ones and learn more about them.  It's a special search-and-find book because you're not only looking for the jellyfish, you're also looking for the narrator too.  The moment when the mom jellyfish shows up to the party with her shy jellyfish child who is wearing a grumpy-faced paper bag is one of those illustrations that will live with me forever.  Any shy child or adult will look at the jellyfish wearing their paper bag and completely relate.  And the moment the narrator is revealed is also magnificent.