Xerox and Coca-Cola are brand names that have become synonymous with their product. Cola, soda, or ‘make a copy’ are their siblings that are hiding in plain sight. Likewise, books that are closely associated with their contemporaries are often grouped together, for example, it’s like Harry Potter, Wimpy Kid, or Dog Man. For young readers of a certain age or period of their life, Wimpy Kid, and the world that surrounds him, represent their go-to entertainment. However, Wimpy Kid, when used in those instances is an adjective and not a noun. Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold is a great example of that being used as an adjective. It follows the cartoon and text format to an extent; but has aspects that allow the book to be embraced by readers who are younger, as well as, reeling in those reluctant readers.
I’m not really equipped to adequately review You So Black. Any book or service that has intentional grammar misuse or spelling is something that immediately stops progress in my mind. If you’re a car donation service or daycare, then intentionally misspelling your name is just lazy, but can also be effective. You So Black falls into that category too due to its grammar and the fact that it’s a poetry book. However, this illustrated book is a bit more complicated than that. You So Black is based on its performance at the 2019 Trumpet Awards. Theresa Wilson passionately performed a poem along these lines that was met with a rapt response from the crowd and the internet.
Don Quixote putting a stamp on the windmill. I mentioned that metaphor to my wife and she gave me the look that basically said ‘what the heck am I rambling about?’. I get that sometimes. How to Send a Hug is a very cute illustrated book that seems like the sibling to A Penny’s Worth. Unlike that book, the MacGuffin in How to Send a Hug is a letter, and it’s not the letter Q. This is the postal service, as in I have to send this eBay package to its buyer-so I’ll see you in two hours. I know, I should buy a scale here and print my own postage, but back to the book!
Quirky is an interesting adjective and depending on specifically how it’s used could mean subtle, but different things. The Sun Is Late And So Is The Farmer is a quirky story in all of the right ways. The book is aimed at those pre-k through second-grade kids, and because they’re most likely not reading this review I’ll call the book a word that could cause derision and mockery in those circles. This is a charming book. That sounds like a word that you’d use when you don’t know how to describe something, but you’re implying that it’s a cute book for babies.
Being a substitute primary school teacher I know what schools look like, and sadly, most of them look the same. If you work in an office building you probably know what they look like too and I’d bet that most of them are cookie-cutter-tastic. I’m not naïve, I realize that architecture, especially those that make a statement, come at a price of either money, land, resources or a combination thereof. The Power of Architecture: 25 Modern Buildings from Around the World is an illustrated book for curious kids that want to explore how things are and the way that they could be.