New book discoveries

This Saturday, I found myself at Borders Books. I saw a few books that I found charming for one reason or another...

Chick
This pop-up book is smart and fun to play with. Children will love the bright colors, activities and characters, but adults will get a kick out of it, too. The art is very good quality, and the humor is, well, funny!

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Sammy the Snail
What I love about this book is the interactivity. The stretchy fabric finger slots allow the reader to make Sammy's eyes move just like a real snails eyes do. an idea so simple makes something that is so much fun to play with and animate.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

The Ultimate Dick and Jane Collection
I know what you are thinking. Dick and Jane are outdated for today's kids. You are right! But still, the nostalgia gets me every time. Though the era of "Dick & Jane" was way before my own, I am very well-acquainted with D & J books. When I was in grammar school, I ended up in the nurses' office time and time again. Well, there was nothing to read in the nurses' office... except for Dick & Jane books. LOTS of Dick & Jane books. I probably read each of them 10 times in the space of my fourth grade year.

The art, the style and the naivete of the stories (and of the era) must have inspired me creatively in some way, though I cannot pinpoint exactly how it translated to what my art is today. But I do know that Dick & Jane still seem to fascinate me. Their simple life seemed so otherworldly to me back then, and still does to this day.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Farm Animals (Snapshot Picture Library)
This was the "pièce de résistance" of books for my day! I never expected to be so mesmerized by a little book on farm animals. I couldn't put it down. I ended up taking it home. The photos were beautiful and the small bits of text were just right. I found the book very inspiring. It's just a little book on farm animals, but it got me, and it got me good!