What we’re reading | 3

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We finally made it to the library this week and brought home an enormous stack of books. Don’t mind us if we disappear for a few weeks. We’re just reading all day, every day. Which is exactly how I like it.

First: book for the kiddos.

When I checked out this ABC book a while back, David and I loved it. Teaching the alphabet through different classic works of art? Heck yes. (We’re big art history nerds around here.) (Also I accidentally typed “wart history” which…no. But it made me laugh.) The girls were kind of indifferent to it, but even Margot’s getting a little old for ABC books I guess. Still. Great concept. Way to go, Met.

Everything else in the pile was new to us this time around and I think we chose pretty well. Usually we end up with a few duds, but I haven’t been disappointed with anything yet. Huzzah!

Margot loved the tiger in Tiny Little Fly and the basic wordplay of Cockatoo, Too. (No surprises there: tutus make an appearance. She’s predictable.) Plus the illustrations are just beautiful in both.

Mila had lots of questions after reading Dimity Dumpty. We’ve had some good conversations about being brave even when you feel shy, the importance of helping people when we can, embracing our different interests and talents, and how families look out for each other. I love when reading a simple picture books spark seriously deep thinking.

And David now wants to buy a copy of Martina The Beautiful Cockroach for my aunt Martina because he thinks that would be hilarious. Jokes on him: it’s a really cute story and I might get a copy for us!

And on to the grown-ups’ picks:

I know literally nothing about this Hugo Award winner that David picked up before his trip to the Czech Republic last month. He seems really excited to start reading it when he gets a free minute, though.

After a slight fantasy overload last month, I was craving something more down-to-earth. (Since when do I get tired of magic and make-believe? Who even am I anymore?) I’m about halfway through reading this book and am…not loving it. It’s not bad, it just isn’t my jam. She reaches some good conclusions about purposeful living, but it’s all fairly common sense. And her writing strikes me as a little pretentious. I doubt that’s her intention, and I know lots of people who adore her work. Good for them; not for me. Meh.

Unfortunately, my disappointment there has me doubting I’ll like Big Magic. It seems people can’t stop raving about it–even people who didn’t care for her first book–which makes me feel a bit leery. Can it really be that good? Have you read it yet? What did you think?

With Mila heading to public school kindergarten in the fall, and talk of homeschooling bombarding me from what feels like every angle, education in all its forms is on my mind. This book should make for an interesting read.

On the fiction front (because I can’t stop, won’t stop) I picked up something I probably should’ve read in college, a novel/memoir/collection of short stories about the Vietnam War, and the book version of my first encounter with Studio Ghibli. (Spoiler alert: loved the film. I’m a die-hard Miyazaki convert.)

Smart kids, fire demons, soldiers, bloggers…should make for an interesting month.

What are you reading these days? Anything you recommend?

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