One day I was sitting at my desk, trying to remember what the next thing on my To-Do list was, as I had misplaced it (I’m thinking of adding “Find Last To-Do list you lost” to the new To-Do list), when I got an email from the wonderful contact I have from NorthSouth books. They were asking me to take a quick survey about their books/operations and as a thank you, I could have a book sent to me. Well, yes, I’m all about free swag (and books), but I’m also about reading as much from NorthSouth as I can. And it just so happened that I was looking at two books to read that came from there as I was getting the email. And here are the reviews; but the boring stuff out first: Both were read via an online reader, but I know at least one will find its way to me in a physical copy come September 2024 when both are due.
And that one is Wish You Were Here: Postcards from Franz Kafka by Bernadette Watts (or just Bernadette). It is a delightfully bittersweet story about how Kafka helped make a little girl learn about change. The illustrations are soft, bright and also somber with a cozy feeling. Overall, things are poetic. The ending is a smidgen abrupt, but does allow the story to close soundly. It is based on a true story (the loss of a doll by a little girl and the clever way Kafka makes her think it travels the world). The imagery we get with the words are nicely supported by the illustrations and the illustrations paint their own literal images. Things are not overly mature, but have a sophistication to them.
With the book Picture Day at Dino Play by Sean Julian I enjoyed the sweet and cute story about learning how to adapt when things do not go the way you planned. It was not OMG BEST EVER for me, since there were a few bumps the adult me was thinking they didn’t feel as they fit. However, the kid me liked the illustrations, the dinosaurs, and the ending. The first thing I thought was, “You’re letting students have their picture taken at the end of day?” Any adult knows kids are not the neatest during the day. And sure enough, things happen, but of course, it all works out, but maybe not as expected. An overall bubbly story that is a good read aloud.
