Sometimes I Cry written by Jess Townes, illustrated by Daniel Miyares and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, is a picture book that I wish I wrote. I say that a lot. But I have two boys who when they got to a certain age, suddenly believed it was not okay to cry anymore. Townes shows readers that it’s not only okay for boys to cry, but that there are a multitude of reasons why they would. That sometimes we cry because we hurt, but sometimes we cry in laughter. I love books that normalize emotions because…
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I spotted this book at my local library and was intrigued. What does love have to do with the library? Love in the Library written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Yas Imamura and published by Candlewick Press is a picture book based on a true story about the author’s grandparents. It is a love story within a greater context of the Japanese incarceration camps after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. This hits home for me as a fifth generation Japanese American born and raised in Hawaii. My grandmother lived through gas mask drills and my Kauai grandparents wedding anniversary was on…
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A few months ago I attended a book signing for illustrator Gael Abary. Funny story-Gael lives in Kailua and she asked me to meet her IRL at her signing at Book Ends in Kailua. Another funny coincidence, I met author and editor Amy Novesky online when I queried her publishing company Cameron books. Amy has always been super encouraging and kind to me. It’s because of her that I kept pushing myself to write through the loads of rejection I received. I was happy to attend the event and purchase their beautiful book. I also brought home a few other…
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We read so many picture books at our home so when one is really good, my son and I really take notice. While our tastes may differ, books with heart seem to capture us both. Since my 8-year-old is quickly aging out of picture books, I really savor these moments. Why does the universe make us fall in love with our children only to wrench them from us so fast? But back to really good picture books. Our Kailua librarian is a genius at plucking unique picture books from piles and featuring them on the bookshelf. I’m not sure if…
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Kao Kalia Yang’s The Most Beautiful Thing illustrated by Khoa Le and published by Carolrhoda Books, is the most beautiful book. The illustrations are art worthy. The story like a beautifully stitched quilt layered with meaning and yet, so fitting for a children’s book. What makes this one special is how specific and detailed the story is. The way the author writes about the grandmother makes you feel like you know her, as if she is a real person. Listen to the first sentence: “My grandmother is so old, no one knows how old she is.” Isn’t that a perfect line? It…
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It’s near summer and I am finally on the mend. We still have sick people in our home, however. 2024 was definitely a year of multiple viruses passing through our doors. While I am sad that a quarter of the year is over and I’ve mostly been at home, I am super grateful to be recovering from long Covid, and for all the time I had and likely needed to rest. It also gave me many days of reflection, painting, and of course reading. I’m going to do a quick review of three picture books that left an impact on…
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Brigid Delaney’s book *Reasons Not to Worry: How to Be Stoic in Chaotic Times, hit all the right notes for me. It was an easy read. It offered personal gut-wrenching stories of the author’s experience. It broke down the how tos in easily digestible nuggets that stay and helped me get through particularly debilitating flares with long-Covid. First of all, if you are not familiar with stoicism, it is a way of being that was created by philosophers a very long time ago like BC times. Seneda, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius are three stoics from the late period of Stoicism. What…
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At this point, my interest in Hawaii sugar plantation life might be an obsession. I’ve been immersed in books, journal articles, phone interviews, maps and more. The history of sugar plantation workers in Hawaii is part of my ancestral history after all. It’s why I am a gosei, or fifth generation Japanese American born and raised in Hawaii. I got my BA in English and minored in Ethnic Studies because I loved to write, and even then had a fascination with this period in history. My mom, aunties and uncle were raised on a sugar plantation on Kauai but, I…
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These two books are taking real estate on my nightstand. After finding so many gems, I wondered how I could have possibly grown as a fiction and nonfiction writer without it. If you’re looking for fresh reads to give you a new perspective on your writing, you might want to add these to your reading list. Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence by William Kenower If you want to grow as a writer, at some point you’re going to need to get deep. This is particularly the case if you’re writing fiction or a personal essay.…
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*The title’s paying homage to Flo Rida featuring Timbaland’s Stuck On My Elevator. “You’re a busy entrepreneur. On top of doing what you love to do, which is making your product or providing a service to others, you’re in charge of marketing, accounting, and writing your own copy. But your business is off the hook. You can barely keep up with the demands let alone sit down and right that newsletter, press release, blog or product description. What are you going to do? Why not hire a freelance writer? It will save you time and money. Instead of sitting…