I mused my love for An Illustrated Guide a few months ago but sadly it’s been a bit neglected since then. Figured I’d steal their thunder and post one I found this week at the library for Cohen who initially didn’t want to check it out but has since requested it back-to-back-to-back on a number of occasions.
Iggy Peck, Architect
Both the illustrations and the story are good in this one. Four thumbs up (Dad and Cohen). Recommended ages 4-8.
Buy on Amazon (affiliate link): http://amzn.to/obJzF4
I’ve chronicled my on-again/off-again relationship with reading books in this space before and 2011 has been another year of the same. When I find a book I enjoy, like others, I have a hard time putting it down. Conversely, I’ve hit on a couple of so-so items this year which cause me to first get bored and then struggle between thinking should I finish it or just decide that the TV is the much easier route to go. Once I get derailed, it takes a bit for me to want to get back into the habit and start the whole process again.
In the last couple of months I have attempted to go a different route than the standard hardcover editions and given a try to reading some stuff on the old digital tablet. I’ve now made it through a couple of books in the Kindle app and am halfway through my second in iBooks. My goal here is not to debate the merits of either platform (I think I prefer the Kindle app at this point) but to quickly point out a new frustration I have with a medium that is still struggling to find its place in this world.
Since I know that having a love for reading is important (and that I’ve got a pretty flimsy relationship with it), one of my favorite things to do is to take my boys every other week or so to the library to get some new books. I let them pick out a few (with the full veto power a dad possesses) and I get to pick out a couple that I think they might like as well. (more…)
Yes, it’s a post about more illustration-type stuff. No, that’s not the sole focus of this online journal but one more consecutive post might push us over the edge.
An Illustrated Guide is a fun little single-serving blog I’ve been following for a bit that serves as a mini book-review of illustrated childrens’ books. Both the concept and execution are simple and well done. It’s definitely one of those, ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ type ideas.
Each book is categorized any number of ways: digital, junior, wordy, etc and shortly described to give you just enough to consider picking up a copy for your little ones. My favorite part is the recommendation they provide at the end of each review, things like:
- The perfect book for the royalist.
- The perfect book for the hipster child within.
- The perfect book for a pint-sized Sherlock.
The nerd in me also digs the fact that they used a little -webkit-transform coding magic as you rollover the book covers as well. In most browsers you’ll probably see the image rotate a bit but if you’ll pull it up in Safari or Chrome you get the full effect. Nerd dads unite.
Definitely an easy (and resourceful) tool to throw in your RSS feeds for those of you with little ones.
From above (affiliate links):
- I Am the King – Amazon ($16.95)
- Foxly’s Feast
- This is New York – Amazon ($12.00)
- The Incredible Book Eating Boy – Amazon ($12.00)
PS. While your kid will probably enjoy any of the books you get them from a site like this, their enjoyment of them would be one-hundred fold if you decided to sit down and actually read it with them. Just FYI.