For the past few months, I’ve been escaping to one of the best places I know: inside my favorite books. A voracious reader in ‘normal’ times, I depend on a book to wake me up in the morning and put me to sleep at night. But I rarely allow myself the pleasure of of reading an old favorite; there are simply too many books I have yet to devour to allow such indulgence. Until now. With the interminable closure of the library, I soon ran out of tomes (even including those my sister and I shipped cross-country to one another) that I had no choice but to crack open some well-worn spines.
Though my adult taste may veer in the direction of psychological thrillers and gothic novels, my appetite for nostalgic fiction is well satiated by my collection of picture books: a welcome respite from the dire news of the day.
While it may be easy to escape into the imaginary worlds of Wild Things, taco-loving dragons, and cows that can type, picture books are not all fantasy. Beneath the fantastic facades are lessons in acceptance, empathy, and above all resilience. Amid the protests against police brutality, a global pandemic, and a president who holds himself above the law, we forget that kids are our greatest ally in the struggle for real and lasting change.
Now more than ever, as children who were once resistant readers begin to pick up books to fill the long days and school administrators struggle to comprehend what fall will bring, writers and illustrators play a crucial role.
“Children need books that speak to their hearts and to their minds.”
If we want a more just and peaceful world, then what better place to create it than the 32 pages of a picture book? The pictures we paint, the words we write have a lasting impact. And that’s why we need to invite more creators to the table.
My stories will not resonate with everyone. Nor should they. We all come to the drawing board with different histories, childhood memories, and artistic styles. And that’s why we need diverse books. Because every child deserves to be heard, to be understood, to be loved. Children need books that speak to their hearts and to their minds. No one writer or illustrator can do it alone.
So whoever you are, pick up your pencil or your paintbrush. Picture books need not be an escape from the present. Let’s make them our reality.
UPDATE Now that the Des Moines Public Library is open for curbside pick-up, I may well get my hands on some newer fiction. In the meantime though, I think these favorites speak well to the current moment…
JULIAN IS A MERMAID by Jessica Love
A gorgeous read about being true to ourselves and the magic of being seen for who we really are by those who love us most.
NOODLEPHANT by Jacob Kramer & K-Fai Steele
A fantastic tale full of pasta puns and at its heart the power of a community to prevail against injustice.
DRAWING ON THE WALLS by Matthew Burgess & Josh Cochran
A celebration of the life and work of Keith Haring whose iconic pop art transformed the NYC subway in the 1980s. Haring, a member of the LGBTQ community died tragically at age 31 from AIDS-related complications, but his joyful, youthful art lives on.