Good Reads & Views

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
Fiction

What it’s about: The plot of this simple story is not the point of this beautiful book. The four title characters meet each other and talk about life and love. The simple illustrations add to the spare narration.

Why you might like it: The book is filled with insights told very simply: “’What is the bravest thing you ever said?’ asked the boy. ‘Help,’ said the horse.”  It is also very heartwarming: have tissues on hand.

Readalikes: Children’s books that have adult depth, such as The Little Prince and Winnie-the-Pooh.

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The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
Nonfiction

What it is: Author and illustrator Thi Bui examines her family’s turbulent history in this charming and stunning graphic memoir. Prompted by the birth of her own son, and desperate to make better connections with both of her parents, the nonlinear storyline traces Bui’s family’s journey from Viet Nam to the United States. She focuses on small moments in the past that may help to explain her relationship with each parent.

What sets it apart: The minimalist illustrations—a stroke of black ink and a swirl of rosy orange watercolor—complement the spare writing, creating a heartfelt memoir that is too openly honest to be sentimental. Bui answers the question “How does a created family arise from a born into family”? The graphic novel format may encourage you to speed though it, but the content will urge you to savor it slowly.

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