A little while ago I received an emailed newsletter from a publisher. I don’t remember now which one, but it had some titles for GLBT+ and Pride goodies. It also
included a video link of a Miss Terra Cotta Sugarbaker doing a Drag Queen Storytime. And as often happens when on the internet, down a rabbit hole of people reading books I went. One such person was Miss Althea and her toy sloth friend, Cecil. I found two books I might not have otherwise because of this. Both are picture books, and their themes don’t mesh, but they are both fun and interesting. (And later, the book read by Miss Sugarbaker will hopefully be posted).
First, we will start off with a gem by Nina Laden called Dear Little One. The long and short is Mother Nature is writing a love letter to the young child of the story. The narrator tells us to explore, see the beauty around us and to learn the mysteries that are hidden in plain sight all around them. The illustrations of Melissa Castrillon are reminiscent of classical old-school imagery. They are colorful, but also an offbeat nature to them as well with a lack of color. Much in the way of detail in the art, this book is not a traditional “action book” but a quiet read. The story is modern, with the featuring of exploring the world around us, but does also inhabit a tone that is classic.
The second title I found read by this librarian was Paletero Man. This colorfully illustrated ditty is created by Lucky Diaz and illustrated by Micah Player. The publisher description says that the book is based on the Lucky Band’s song of the same name. I was not aware of the song, but the story is a sweet, almost like “the house that Jack built” theme with the young boy running along the streets of his community, trying to find the Paletero Man, who will have all his favorite flavors and colors. The world comes to life with multiple details and colors popping of the page. While there is not a moral, the theme of friends comes alive. And having someone read aloud helped with the Spanish pronunciations. Translation from Carmen Tafolla.
It had been a long time since someone had read to me, and that was a fun treat. If you have trouble with listening a book on tape due to lack of images, and you don’t feel like holding a physical book, if you can find someone to read a picture book to you even if it is a YouTube video, you will have a satisfying time.
