I Need a Hug is a year-round reading book, but also a great book for the upcoming holiday of President’s Day! (Oh wait, wrong kind of snake). Kidding aside, it is a sweet Valentine’s Day book. That “prickly thing” (a porcupine) wants a hug! Just a little cuddle! But all the other characters (Joe and Ken and such) rhyme their very strong No! Along with running away. Quickly! But at the end they are all just as quickly coming back! Do they want a hug […]
26 ways to say Love
L is for Love: A Heartfelt Alphabet is one of those odd little gems that looks like it is from 1950 but is very 2018. The illustrations show you the alphabet of love and friendship. The illustrations are casually modern. Nothing is forced, and things flow with the diversity of people (bi-racial copy, people of color). In fact, the P is for Poetry shows the girl reciting “How do I love thee?” (Or I assume she is…. She is kneeling, with paper in hand, boy […]
It finds the right story at the halfway point
The first half of this book was a real slog for a number of reasons that all kind of boiled down to – it’s yet another novel about a young white boy figuring out life in the shadow of World War II. At this point, I have lost count of the number of these I have read and they all blur together, and this one just also felt like not enough actually happened in it for it to stand out. The first half of the […]
Biking in a Winter Wonderland
The Chirri and Chirra books are surreal. You can hear the translation as sometimes the wording does not flow naturally on the ears. You will enjoy the story, but you probably should suspend belief. If you are looking for realism, Kaya Doi’s books are probably not what you are looking for. However, if you like a casual, somewhat natural mix of fantastic and realism, the Chirri and Chirra books are perfect. And the illustrations are very sweet with soft, happy colors, a lot of detail […]