The Only Child, by Goujing, Schwartz Wade, 2015.
This book is heart-stoppingly gorgeously illustrated. The wordless story is poignant and conveys the sense of loneliness felt by a child growing up under China's one-child policy. But my son, who is an only child, did not understand the child's deep loneliness and longing. I kind of wish that the US title had been changed to "The Lonely Child", because, 1) not all only children are always lonely; and 2) children with multiple siblings can feel this depth of loneliness.
Toothiana, Queen of the Tooth Fairy Armies, by William Joyce, Simon & Schuster, 2012.
I really enjoyed the Rise of the Guardians movie; so much so, that I went out to find these books. The books and movie, however, are very different. Toothiana is even better in the book than she is in the movie because not only is she as beautiful as a hummingbird, she is as fierce as a warrior.
E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs, by William Joyce, Atheneum Book, 2012.
On very rare occasions, I watch a movie before I read the books. In my defense, I didn't know about the books when I bought the movie The Rise of the Guardians for my son. And, after the movie, I wanted to learn so much more about the characters.
I am LOVING this series. E. Aster Bunnymund is rather different in the book than he is in the movie, but, in my mind, he still talks like Hugh Jackman.
The Day Our Teacher Went Batty, by Gervase Phinn, Puffin Books, 2002.I'm not sure where I picked up this little book. Or when. I do know the "why", though. I picked it up because the humor seemed charmingly British -- Yorkshire, in fact. So, however long it has been sitting on my shelf, I read it last week when I was feeling quite "poorly". I can't say I loved, or even understood, every poem in this book, but the poems I loved, I loved very, very much.
