1. Happy March! What better way to bid farewell to winter and anticipate spring than with Aiko Fukawa’s sweet, whimsical art!

I’m a longtime fan of her hug-me-adorable anthropomorphized animals; the innocence and gentleness in her pictures help restore my belief in the goodness of the world.

A 2005 graduate of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Design, Aiko works as an illustrator and designer for the Japanese paper brand AI, creating advertisements, book covers, stationery, magazines, picture books and more on a global scale.

Though she considers cats her spirit animal, I especially love her rabbits. With Easter coming up at the end of the month, I simply can’t get enough of them! In addition to animals, Aiko is inspired by everyday life, plants, and music.

She’s been drawing since childhood, and her favorite memory is the Christmas morning she woke to find all her stuffed animals lined up in her room.

Her secret to success? “Wake up early.”

She hopes future generations will accept and respect diversity. She’s also an advocate of animal rescue centers and firmly believes people should never buy fur.

Drink of choice: coffee. Favorite food: CAKE!!

See more of Aiko’s work at her Website and Instagram. Items featuring her designs (stationery, framed prints, notebooks, stickers, washi tape, coin purses, etc.), can be purchased via online sites such as Acorn Toys & Goods, Moth Chicago, and Nico Neco Zakkaya.

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2. New Picture Book Alert: Today is official release day for Oskar’s Voyage by Laura Purdie Salas and Kayla Harren (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2024):

A tiny chipmunk named Oskar accidentally stows away on an enormous Great Lakes freighter. Can he survive an epic trip—and find his way back home? 

Near a bustling harbor, a plucky chipmunk’s love of tomatoes earns him a heart-pounding ride “up up up” onto a huge ship. After iron ore pellets thunder into the cargo holds, the boat sets sail across Lake Superior—with Oskar still aboard! Lost and desperate to return to land, Oskar explores the enormous boat for a way out. The metal, the machines, the noise—it’s all so different from his small home in the oak tree. Tasty treats in the galley calm his nerves, but when he ventures up to the pilothouse, where sailors steer the ship, he’s shocked to see his bridge and his oak tree fading into the distance. Soon, the lake stretches endlessly in all directions. 

As he searches for a way home, Oskar discovers excitement—and danger—instead. He’s never before seen a dizzying drop to icy water; an avalanche of mail; a roaring, rumbling engine room; or a steel boom swinging through the sky to deliver a ship’s cargo. Though he encounters amazing wonders on board, he can’t find the one thing he needs most—his oak tree back at the harbor. Will Oskar ever make it home? 

In 2019 author Laura Purdie Salas took a voyage on the Paul R. Tregurtha, the largest freighter on the Great Lakes. That trip inspired her poetic narrative highlighting the features of a working ship through a chipmunk’s eyes. Artist Kayla Harren’s vibrant illustrations offer glimpses into life aboard a laker—with dazzling scenes of both inland sea and shore. A diagram of a freighter offers perspective, and a map displays Oskar’s route. A glossary and further reading list round out this tale of an unlikely adventure—and may just inspire readers to imagine their own Great Lakes excursion.

This sounds so captivating!! And who can resist a chipmunk named Oskar? (I can tell by his cover picture that he likes me.) 🙂

I’ve never been to the Great Lakes region and have certainly never been aboard a freighter. Thanks to Laura and Kayla, now we all have a chance for a fresh new adventure. Looking forward to reading this one!!

Congratulations and Happy Pub Day, Laura and Kayla!!

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3. More to this than meets the eye: Let’s say you inadvertently leave your wallet on the car seat while dashing into the store for something. That would be like begging for a passerby to steal it, right?

Well, if your wallet looked like a book instead of a wallet, maybe prying eyes wouldn’t be so tempted. That’s pretty much how the founder(s) of the Novel Book Store got the idea for Book Wallets!

They look like miniature antique books — classics like Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, Alice in Wonderland, etc.

They come in two sizes — the smaller one measures 4.25″ x 3″ and has 4 credit card slots, a cash/receipt flap, and a pocket for coins. The larger passport wallet is 4″ x 5.5″ and also includes a pen and Kraft notebook. Both have clothbound covers and vegan leather on the inside.

Such a fun way to celebrate your love of books!

Visit the Novel Book Store to see all the choices. They also sell stationery and journals. I like a good disguise, don’t you? 🙂

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4. Speaking of books, have you read Shaun Bythell’s bookshop diaries yet? Recently I was looking for some light reading to load onto my Kindle late one night and stumbled upon Confessions of a Bookseller (Godine, 2020). I saw the words ‘bookshop’, ‘Scotland’, and ‘funny’ in the description and decided to give it a go.

In my haste, I somehow missed the word ‘memoir’, so when I first began reading, I assumed it was fiction. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the diary was real, written by the owner of the largest secondhand bookstore in Scotland (100,000+ titles). Bythell bought The Bookshop when he was in his early 30s. He gives a day-to-day account of what it’s like to run the store, interact with staff and customers, and thrive in Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town (there are 17 bookstores and book-related businesses there in a town of about 900 people).

I was instantly hooked. Shaun has so far published 3 diaries: The Diary of a Bookseller, Confessions of a Bookseller, and Remainders of the Day. His candid observations of people and wry humor are addicting. After awhile, you come to know these colorful “characters” and love them for all their quirks, from Sandy the tattooed pagan who trades handmade walking sticks for store credit; to Nicky, a part-time Jehovah’s Witness assistant who brings in supermarket cast-offs for Foodie Friday; to Emanuela (aka Granny), a young woman from Genoa, Italy, who wrote to Shaun asking for a job; and several other summer student hires with eccentricities all their own.

If you love books, have always wondered what the secondhand book trade is really like, and enjoy reading about close-knit communities, Shaun’s diaries are for you. Despite having what some describe as an irascible nature (love his sarcasm), he also seems patient and unfailingly hospitable (he lives above the shop and his spare bedrooms are always full of self-invited guests).

Also fascinating: how he obtains stock by driving hither and yon, loading up his van after clearing out libraries from domiciles large and small. It’s the thrill of the chase, for in those piles of old books, he might stumble upon an inscription by Sir Walter Scott or Florence Nightingale, all the while sharing his vast knowledge of hundreds of titles you’ve probably never heard of, explaining what makes a book salable/valuable.

At the heart of his diaries, though, is his unique take on human nature. What a person reads says so much about him/her.

Check out The Bookshop to learn more (books are available for sale online but shipping to the U.S. is quite expensive). Fun updates via Shaun’s Facebook Page and Instagram. (FB commenters are hilarious and worth the price of admission.) His YouTube channel is also worth checking out for excerpt readings, interviews, etc. You also get to see some of the people mentioned in his books.

Meanwhile, enjoy this cool video to see what the shop looks like:

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5. Ever dreamed of running a bookshop? Check out this Wigtown landmark:

“Nestled in the pristine surroundings of Galloway, The Open Book is a charming bookshop and apartment, situated on the main street of Wigtown. A holiday home with a difference, it presents a unique opportunity for visitors to run a real bookshop at the heart of the town’s vibrant community. The Open Book’s aim is to celebrate books, independent bookshops and welcome people from around the world to Scotland’s National Book Town.

Booked through Airbnb, paying guests live in the self-catering apartment upstairs and run the bookshop below it for the duration of their stay. During their stay, guests are free to change displays, price books, re-categorise them, and make inventive use of the blackboard that entices visitors in to browse or chat. Some guests are happy to quietly run the bookshop, while others come with firmer plans and creative ideas!

Bibliophiles, avid readers, kindred book lovers and adventure seekers from around the world come to Wigtown to experience the life of a second-hand bookshop owner in a remote Scottish town. Sea, highlands, native forests, amazing people and bookshops are just on our doorstep.”

Okay, how cool is that? I hear there’s a years long waiting list, though cancellations offer hope. For more info, visit this Airbnb page.

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6. Deeply Felt: Why wear metal jewelry when you can wear felt? Loving Danielle Gori-Montanelli’s colorful earrings, brooches, collars, necklaces, and hats!

Currently based in Middlebury, Vermont, Danielle’s originally from Washington, D.C., where she began drawing, painting and “making stuff” during childhood. After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College, she moved to NYC. A weekend jewelry-making course led to a 12-year career making jewelry in silver and bronze.

After she and her husband moved to Florence, Italy, she was introduced to beautiful European designer felt, at which time she stopped using metal for her jewelry. She then moved back to the states after 10 years abroad.

Danielle has exhibited her work in galleries across the country as well as in craft shows in New York, Philadelphia, D.C., Chicago and London.

Learn more at Danielle’s Official Website, where you can purchase her felt jewelry. Keep up with the latest news via her Facebook Page and Instagram.

Enjoy this video of Danielle in her studio:

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7. New Middle Grade Novel Alert: Today is official pub day for Summer at Squee by Andrea Wang (Kokila, 2024):

From Newbery Honor–winning author Andrea Wang, a new middle grade novel about a Chinese American tween who attends a Boston–based Chinese cultural overnight camp—and the many ways it transforms her.

Phoenny Fang plans to have the best summer ever. She’s returning to Summertime Chinese Culture, Wellness, and Enrichment Experience (SCCWEE for short and “Squee” to campers in the know), and this year she’s a senior camper. That means she; her best friend, Lyrica Chu; and her whole Squad will have the most influence. It almost doesn’t matter that her brother is a CIT (counselor-in-training) and that her mom and auntie are the camp directors. Time spent at Squee is sacred, glorious, and free.

On the day Phoenny arrives, though, she learns that the Squad has been split up, and there’s an influx of new campers this year. Phoenny is determined to be welcoming and to share all the things she loves about camp—who doesn’t love spending hours talking about and engaging in cultural activities? But she quickly learns how out of touch she is with others’ experiences, particularly of the campers who are adoptees. The same things that make her feel connected to her culture and community make some of the other campers feel excluded.

Summer at Squee turns out to be even more transformative than Phoenny could’ve imagined, with new friendships, her first crush, an epic show, and a bigger love for and understanding of her community.

This book has received a **starred review** from Kirkus, who said: “Through careful research and interviews, Wang has crafted a narrative that reflects many transracial adoptees’ feelings and experiences. The believable dialogue questions and explores deeply held beliefs about culture. Phoenny’s lovingly detailed, introspective viewpoint will positively influence readers’ awareness of their own emotional and cultural landscapes. Blending moxie and grace, this novel is a worthy guide through cultural expansiveness and summer camp antics and angst.”

Looking forward to reading this one!

Congratulations, Andrea!

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8. She’s a Puzzle: Looking for a fun way to celebrate Women’s History Month? Why not tackle Ridley’s Inspirational Women 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle?

This 26.7″ x 26.7″ circular puzzle features 54 feminist icons including Jane Austen, Emmaline Pankhurst, Greta Thunberg, Frida Kahlo, Josephine Baker, and Maya Angelou. Each picture includes a short bio mentioning the subject’s achievements.

The circular shape makes it possible for everyone sitting around a table to participate. A poster guide is also included. Nice gift idea!

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9. Unbearably cute: Basil and Cornelius insisted we feature these adorable handmade wool teddies by Ukrainian artist Daria Neznaiko.

Each bear is approximately 5″ tall and has moveable arms. In her Etsy Shop description, Daria says:

“There has been a war in our country for more than a year. We stand strong, we fight for our land, for our freedom. Our heroes are on the way to victory, but we still need your support, your faith.”

We don’t hear as much in the news about Ukraine as we did in the early part of the Russian invasion, and with more problems in the Middle East it is easy to forget that Ukrainians still need our help. It is heartening to know that in the midst of their grief and hardship, they continue to make art.

Visit Daria’s shop Amoove to see all her listings, which focus primarily on props for newborn photo shoots.

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Our Swoon Tune this month is “Wichita Lineman,” written by Jimmy Webb for Glen Campbell in 1968. Campbell had phoned Webb requesting another “geographical” song as a follow-up to “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.”

Webb describes his inspiration while driving through the high plains of the Oklahoma panhandle (though he would ultimately set his song in Wichita, Kansas):

“There’s a place where the terrain absolutely flattens out. It’s almost like you could take a level out of your tool kit and put it on the highway, and that bubble would just sit right there on dead centre. It goes on that way for about 50 miles. In the heat of summer, with the heat rising off the road, the telephone poles gradually materialise out of this far, distant perspective and rush toward you. And then, as it happened, I suddenly looked up at one of these telephone poles and there was a man on top, talking on a telephone. He was gone very quickly, and I had another 25 miles of solitude to meditate on this apparition.

It was a splendidly vivid, cinematic image that I lifted out of my deep memory while I was writing this song. I thought, I wonder if I can write something about that? A blue-collar everyman guy we all see everywhere, working on the railroad or working on the telephone wires or digging holes in the street. I just tried to take an ordinary guy and open him up and say, ‘Look, there’s this great soul and there’s this great aching and this great loneliness inside this person, and we’re all like that. We all have this capacity for these huge feelings’.”

Campbell cried upon first hearing it because it made him homesick. His single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2019, the song was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Bob Dylan considered it “the greatest song ever written.”

There’s just something about this song that moves me every time I hear it — the loneliness and longing are very palpable. It has a timeless feel about it.

Since you’ve already heard Campbell’s iconic recording, thought I’d share an acoustic version Campbell performed with Webb for the Saturday Early Show in New York. Singer and songwriter together, just beautiful.

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HAPPY TUESDAY

HAPPY WEEK

BE A LEPRECHAUN

THINK SPRING

LISTEN TO BIRDSONG

STOCK UP ON JELLY BEANS

WEAR BUNNY EARS

EAT CARROT CAKE

MARCH ON!

BE TRUE

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**Copyright © 2024 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.