These are not my kid’s favorite books. They are mine.
There is an illustration asthetic I’m after and maybe Pippin will one day appreciate it.
For now, she’s as likely to want a book of bus pictures as anything else (which she did indeed receive for Christmas because I know my audience). Oh and physics books. For reasons I cannot fathom, she chooses the Physics for Babies books for us to read to her more than any other. Which are great an all. But I’m after ILLUSTRATIONS.
And the books below are gorgeous and I love gorgeous things around.
And yes they are all by Micha Archer.
She illustrates with a combo of paper collage and oil paints. I don’t even know. But it’s stunning. You can’t even get the full sense from a digital image—and I suspect that even prints reduce the texture she brings to her work. I’d love to see it in person.
Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer
This is indeed an accurate introduction to poetry. It gets at the beautiful things in life and how that is personal to each of us and that when we put those things into words, that is how poetry is made.
Daniel’s Good Day by Micha Archer
The people in our life, even the strangers we pass, make days good.
Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer
Saw this in the library and swooned. Was a while before I realized it was the same person who wrote the Daniel books!
Kid-Focused Bookshops Worth Visiting
As with most small retail businesses, please resist judging the shop by its website. Though Nooks does really nail it here.
Nooks in Lancaster, PA. Artsy, chic, AND kid heaven. I have a friend who works here and finally got to stop in when we moved back to PA. Haven’t taken my kid yet but we’ll have fun when that happens.
Let’s Play in Emmaus, PA. A curated dream. Really focused on books that feature the full diversity of kids! Everyone can find a character who looks like them and represents their experience. Plus a fun play room in the attic that overlooks train tracks!
Any others in your world I should stop by if I’m in the area?!