Dad's Bookshelf: August 2021
We have three new favorite picture books to share with you this month on Dad’s Bookshelf, and I think you’re going to enjoy all of them a lot. Generally speaking, I’d say they all have a sense of serious beauty in them. They all showcase heartfelt profiles of humanity, while remaining playful and lighthearted. And they all seem to masterfully and artistically touch on what’s important and precious in life, in their own way. And you know that’s the kind of thing that pulls me in every time.
If this is your first edition of Dad’s Bookshelf - welcome! I hope you enjoy reading about the picture books we’ve been loving lately. And if you’ve been here before, you know the deal by now, and probably have a good feel for our taste in books too. These are the wonderful books that have captured our hearts and imaginations lately in our house.
A couple of these books are actually brand new, hot off the press, while one has been on our bookshelf for quite a while already. And one of the new ones is actually a spiritual sequel to one of our favorite picture books of all time. We’ve had it pre-ordered since it was announced and I’m very excited to finally share it and talk about it.
As always, I sincerely hope you enjoying reading about the books that have been inspiring us lately. And I hope it helps you discover a new family favorite. Take a list of all of them to your local library and see if they have a copy already. And if they don’t have them yet, let them know that Dad is disappointed and thinks they should order them! Tell them to think of the children.
Dad’s Bookshelf is a continuing, monthly series featuring the kids books we are most excited about each month. The series is named after the real life bookshelf we have in our home, where I keep all of my favorite picture books of all time. While the books we share on Dad’s Bookshelf are often new releases, it’s also not uncommon for us to be excited about an older book we just discovered.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links that will lead you to view the books’ listings on Amazon or Bookshop.org. I Am The Subway was shared with us by Scribble Books.
The Funeral
Written and Illustrated by Matt James
The Funeral absolutely belongs on our list of the best picture books about death - which is hands down one of my favorite book lists, full of staggeringly beautiful works of art. Look for it to be added soon, because The Funeral is a special one. It does a masterful job at capturing the sad experience of a funeral from the perspective of children.
The Funeral was also mentioned by Eric Fan of The Fan Brothers in our recent interview, when he was listing 3 under-the-radar picture books you should know. In fact, this is what inspired us to get it down off of our shelves again this month, and of course he couldn’t be more right. This book is spectacular. It’s a very original exploration of processing death with fantastic perspective.
One quick way to describe it is that the perspective of children is often very different from that of adults. At the funeral for a great uncle, for instance, the funeral is a day off of school and a chance to see a favorite cousin, but it’s significantly more tragic for others. The little girl tries to make sense of the customs all around her from a different point of view. She wonders, for instance, why there’s so much talk about God and souls but not so much talk about Uncle Frank. And then she and her cousin play outside together for the whole afternoon - displaying the most beautiful and thoughtful contrast along the way.
A Kid is a Kid is a Kid
Written by Sara O’Leary and Illustrated by Qin Leng
This is the spiritual sequel to A Family is a Family is a Family by the same duo, and I’m a huge fan. In our featured article on that book, I called it a bigotry vaccine. Just read it once a night and the kids will be alright! And A Kid is a Kid is a Kid is equally important and equally beautiful. I can’t recommend it enough and it will certainly be one of the best books of 2021.
While A Family is a Family is a Family drives home the point that families come in all shapes and sizes, A Kid is a Kid is a Kid focuses on the personalities and qualities of the kids themselves. I suppose it’s safe to call this one a bigotry vaccine as well, but I think I’ll go with empathy pill. It’s a masterclass in showcasing different lives - another perfect use of “windows and mirrors” that all kids need to experience.
The story is structured around kids pointing out disappointing things that people ask them: “Why are you so small? Are you a boy or a girl? Where do you come from? Why do you always wear the same shirt?” And it all ties together magnificently. The brief profiles of characters on display are all heartfelt and powerful, and it’s truly a great work of art, and a great tool, for reminding both children and adults what matters in life and what doesn’t.
I Am The Subway
Written and Illustrated by Kim Hyo-eun & Translated by Deborah Smith
This best-selling picture book of Kim Hyo-eun from Korea has now been translated into English by Deborah Smith, and it’s just gorgeous. I am just crazy about these illustrations. When trying to compare them to my favorite books, it feels like they have the softness of the work of someone like Erin E. Stead, some of the gorgeous watercolor aesthetic of someone like Jessica Love, and so much incredible detail squeezed into the images as well. It all comes together to truly bring these characters to life and it’s magnificent.
The Subway itself is the narrator in this book, and it introduces new characters one by one as they step aboard the train. After they step aboard, we get a brief glimpse into the lives of each character, and it’s incredibly powerful and affecting. It’s a work of art and an emotional journey that will be very much appreciated by people-watchers.
Exploring emotions and humanity like this is a great way to center ourselves, and remind ourselves of the lives around us. It’s important to remember that we all have lives, as obvious as it sounds to say out loud. It can pull us back together, build empathy, and maybe even make the world a better place. The characters in this book live and breathe, and I assure you that you need to meet them.
Have you read any of these great picture books yet? What picture books have you been enjoying lately? Let us know in the comments!
