Between working and knitting I'm trying to get all the graphic novels for the Cybil awards read ASAP. I'm almost there.
BABY BOARD BOOKS
I looked after my seven month old grandson this week and we read some books that my son had brought home from the library for him.
Guess What - Food? by Yusuke Yonezu
These clever illustrations with flaps to lift excited Everett. I'm not sure he enjoyed the book as much as just playing with the flaps and my making the animal sounds of the animals the flaps revealed.
5 Little Apples by Yusuke Yonezu
This one is also very clever. Again, the flaps entertained Everett much more than the story and the counting, but I can see that this will be popular for its content given a bit of time.
Splish-Splash (Mr. Horse) by Nicola Smee
I liked this more than Everett did. It was a lot of fun and I loved the ending when the animals all want to do it again. I can see it becoming a favourite as babies become older.
My Animals by Xavier Deneux
The black and white illustrations with occasional splashes of colour are striking. My little fellow focused on the pictures and enjoyed my making the animal sounds for each one.
PICTURE BOOKS
Life by Cynthia Rylant, Brendan Wenzel (Illustrations)
This book is right up there with the best of the picture books I read and posted a week ago. Brendan Wenzel's illustrations are jaw droppingly gorgeous. Cynthia Rylant's profound words dance because of them.
YOUNG ADULT NOVELS
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green & Kate Rudd (narrator)
I'm trying to decide between a 3 and 4 for this one. I came away with a deep understanding of what it is to have this kind of mental health problem. I liked how the friendship between the two girls became stronger as the novel progressed. I just wish the novel had focused more on the mystery. Aza's obsessiveness consumed a lot of this novel. This might represent what it would be like to actually have to live with this but once I figured this out, I wanted more from this story.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld , Alex Puvilland (Artist), Hilary Sycamore (Colorist) YA
You will want/need to read this one for yourself to fully appreciate it. The worldbuilding is powerfully creepy. The plot is intense. The characters are compelling. I can hardly wait to read the sequel, The Broken Vow, which won't be published until July!
Buddha: An Enlightened Life by Keiron Moore & Rajesh Nagulakonda (Illustrations) YA
This beautifully illustrated novel tells the story of how an Indian prince became an important spiritual leader.
Where's Halmoni? by Julie Kim MG
These stunning illustrations integrate Korean folklore into the everyday life of a couple of Korean children's day when they go to visit their grandmother. The book arrived from the publishers and I brought it in to read to a group of students without having previewed it first. I wish I hadn't done that because then I could have set the book up so that they got more out of it. In spite of this, it was still a hit.
Spinning by Tillie Walden YA
This is the coming of age story of a young girl who skated competitively from the time she was a young girl till nearly the end of highschool. The illustrations capture the essence of those early morning wakeups and time spent in an almost empty auditorium. (I vouch for the authenticity of this from my time taking my son to hockey practice) I really liked the information on the different jumps and spins.
CURRENTLY
I've just started listening to A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore & Fisher Stevens (narrator). I have to finish up Maximum Canada: Why 35 Million Canadians Are Not Enough by Doug Saunders this week because I am hosting book club next Monday! I'm rereading The Big Bad Fox by Benjamin Renner.
UP NEXT
I will reread Soupy Leaves Home by Cecil Castellucci & Real Friends by Shannon Hale and then dig into Palestine by Joe Sacco. My next audiobook will be Saints and Misfits by S. K. Ali & Ariana Delawari (narrator)
PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS
#MustReadIn2018 5/25
#MustReadNFIn2018 1/12 - 1 in progress
25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 1/25
Cybil Graphic Novels 9/12 - 1 in progress
Goodreads Reading Challenge 32/333
I've heard mixed reviews about Turtles All the Way Down so I haven't picked it up yet. Life is a beautiful book.
ReplyDeleteIt's challenging to read. Yes Life is just wonderful!
DeleteFrom the cover alone, My Animals looks fabulous and would be a great gift for a baby. I just loved Life for both the beautiful text and illustrations.
ReplyDeleteMe also regarding Life.
DeleteApparently babies really connect with black and white images. Everett sure liked these.
I want to read Turtles - but definitely am hearing mixed reviews. I enjoy all of these board book recommendations!
ReplyDeleteHopefully you won't be thinking of them to read to a grandbaby any time soon!
DeleteIt's a great list, Cheriee. I loved Life, too. And will put Buddha and Spinning on my list! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThese are not my favourites of all the graphic novels I've been reading, but they are definitely good.
DeleteI have not heard of Life. I love all of Cynthia Rylant's books so I will definitely go find that one. I have also heard mixed reviews on Turtle. It's still on my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteLife might be my favourite of hers, but then whatever book I have just finished is often my favourite.
DeleteI can't believe I haven't read Turtles All the Way Down yet. I need to get on that!
ReplyDeleteI will look forward to reading what you think about it.
DeleteI love Yonezu's books.
ReplyDeleteI have become a fan!
DeleteHave fun with Joe Sacco's Palestine - if fun is what you can call reading Sacco's graphic-novel-travelogue-journalist-journeys. I reviewed it and shared my book club's response to it here: https://gatheringbooks.org/2015/04/18/saturday-reads-disturbed-by-saccos-palestine-a-book-club-discussion/
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the link Myra. I am now more keen than ever to read this book!
DeleteI took a break from Turtles All the Way Down. I don't think I was in the right mindset for it. I am starting to realize that perhaps I should return to it.
ReplyDeleteI seriously contemplated abandoning it Ricki, but the need to continue felt connected to bearing witness or something like that. I think it has to to with the idea that if people have to deal with this, the least I can do, is finish reading a novel about it.
DeleteI really like your reviews of board books since you include reactions from the babies you read them with. I'm trying to find and read the CYBILS board book finalists and for some of them it's hard to picture a baby sitting through the whole thing. Maybe people read board books to older kids as well? My guys are in their late teens so it's been a while!
ReplyDeleteMy boys are having babies and I don't even remember reading to them when they were this age. I'm glad you enjoy that section. I spend a lot of time reading board books these days. My two year old great nephew was over on the weekend and I noticed that he has much more stamina for actual stories. I have been been contemplating reading the cybil board book short list with my little ones, but had to finish all the graphic novels first!
DeleteI am very eager to read Where's Halmoni. I have it on order. The Buddha book looks interesting to me too. I enjoyed Spinning. Life is lovely.
ReplyDeleteWhere's Halmoni? Is just gorgeous. So far every group I've read it to has loved it.
DeleteI read Turtles as soon as it was released because I wasn't a fan of TFIOS. I really liked it - I thought the writing was fantastic. Someone I know, who has OCD and is a germophobe, is reading it now and can't sympathize with the main character. I thought that was interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting. I liked that she matured and became a better person as the novel progressed. It was this that I mostly admired about her.
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