Y’all, I’ve been reading the same three books for ages! Those would be The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, and Everybody by Olivia Laing. I feel bad that I have nothing new to report to people who ask. But I’ve added two more reads to the mix: Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart and The Poppy War by RF Kuang. Kinda wanna drop everything for The Poppy War then Shuggie Bain, but also wanna finish and be done with all those other books, which are interesting, but which I can’t seem to focus on :/ I’m tempted to put them on pause for now and pick them back up later when I’m in the mood, but I have a feeling that I might just never pick them back up… which… is not necessarily bad… but potentially sad to think about…
Check out the Shadow & Bone guide I shared this past month if you missed it!
Children’s books are specifically written to be read by a section of society without political or economic power. People who have no money, no vote, no control over capital or labour or the institutions of state; who navigate the world in their knowledge of their vulnerability. And, by the same measure, by people who are not yet preoccupied by the obligations of labour, not yet skilled in forcing their own prejudices on to other people and chewing at their own hearts. And because at so many times in life, despite what we tell ourselves, adults are powerless too, we as adults must hasten to children’s books to be reminded of what we have left to us, whenever we need to start out all over again.
Why You Should Read Children’s Books Even Though You Are So Old and Wise by Katherine Rundell // ★★★★.5
A series of short essays, not even 100 pages total. It’s interesting to think about who this book might be for. Is someone who isn’t into children’s book going to be persuaded by it? Probably not. This book isn’t an in-depth analysis. You could probably summarise it in one or two quotes (you’re welcome for that one up there haha). But this might be a comforting read for adults who are seeking affirmation for their enjoyment of children’s books. Sometimes it can feel like there’s only one direction to live life–forward–and that to turn back to children’s books is frivolous and “doesn’t count as reading.” But it counts.
Anyways, I really loved this one because lately I–someone who almost never rereads–have been feeling the urge to return to old childhood favourites and even read new-to-me middle grade books I never got around to. In particular, I’ve been thinking about reading Redwall for the first time, rereading The Golden Compass, and finishing The Chronicles of Narnia (I think I only ever got to the third book when I was a kid).
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery // ★★★★
It’s been a few years since I’ve watched the animated film, but I never got around to reading the book until now. I was surprised by just how much the book left open for interpretation, especially for a children’s book and especially in comparison to how literal the film was. I’ve heard some people say that this “children’s book” is actually more for adults than it is for children. It’s a reminder that there’s an alternative to the conventional ideas of what grown ups should be doing, should be wanting, should deem as important. I think we all know this to some degree, but perhaps we don’t realise all the small ways in which it is possible.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy // ★★★★
One Goodreads reviewer described this short graphic novel as Instagram wisdom + Winnie-the-Pooh for adults, which I think is pretty accurate. They meant it negatively, but I don’t think it has to be. Sometimes it’s helpful to go back to the basics and hear some simple reminders. The one I needed to hear was: “Asking for help isn’t giving up. It’s refusing to give up.”
At the very least, the illustrations were beautiful (the horse girl in me was very happy). It’s a great gift book–for kids, for self-help readers of any age, and even for non-readers as art.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune // ★★★★
Linus is assigned to audit a highly classified orphanage of magical youth, where resides a gnome, a forest sprite, a wyvern, a shifter, a green blob… oh, and the antichrist.
The overwhelming review I’ve heard about this book can be summed up in one word: wholesome. Who doesn’t need more wholesomeness in their lives?? It teaches kids (or anyone) to be anything they want to be, in spite of what society has already decided to label them. The kids each had their own little passions and morbid fascinations, and were deeply protective of each other. My heart goes to Chauncey: Green Blob, Future Bellhop.
It’s YA but reads a bit middle grade with its didacticisms. It was more than a bit fatphobic.
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto // ★★★★.5
Meddy, her mom, and her aunties try to get rid of a dead body while working a billionaire’s over-the-top wedding. It’s How to Get Away with Murder, Chinese-Indonesian auntie edition.
I loved the absurdity of this book. It’s straight up fun. The mom and aunties were a riot. Meddy was a bit high strung, but hey, someone had to keep them grounded! Loved the intra-family rivalries, the modern nuances of filial piety, the plot twists. I recommend going in blind. Only thing I didn’t care for was the sickly sweet second-chance-romance.
The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish // ★★★★.5
I could have read this much faster than listening to the audiobook, but Tiffany Haddish is such a fun storyteller–I wanted to hear it straight from her! I didn’t even put it on 2x speed. She has a beautiful, joyful heart, and I so admire how dedicated she is to bringing that joy to other people, whether that’s through working bat mitzvahs as an “energy producer” or through her comedy. I loved reading about the people who looked out for her as she was coming up in Hollywood, especially after reading all she had been through in the foster system and with domestic abuse. She deserves all her success, and I hope she and Mary J Blige got a chance to hang out hehe.
Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden // ★★★★.5
Picked up this memoir as per Chanel Miller’s recommendation! I haven’t yet gathered my thoughts about this one, so here’s a quick Goodreads description: “Acclaimed literary essayist T Kira Madden’s raw and redemptive debut memoir is about coming of age and reckoning with desire as a queer, biracial teenager amidst the fierce contradictions of Boca Raton, Florida, a place where she found cult-like privilege, shocking racial disparities, rampant white-collar crime, and powerfully destructive standards of beauty hiding in plain sight.”
I simply felt sad for T Kira while reading her memoir, struck by her unflinching honesty, the loneliness of her childhood, her forced independence as her parents battled their own demons, her love for them through everything. I’m glad to see that it seems like she’s doing great these days.
What are some of your childhood favourites?