‍The Book Report by Rebecca Traver - Our Online Bookshop Curator

“Wonder is the heaviest element on the periodic table. Even a tiny fleck of it stops time.”

~Diane Ackerman, A Natural History of the Senses

‍

As this graduation season gathers steam, it’s got me thinking about initiations and developmental stages in general. What if we applied more intention to the smaller, more everyday transitional experiences in our lives?

For example, what if we woke up every morning and before slipping into the routine of our day, we took a moment to turn our attention to the simple wonder of it all – no matter how small? Would we experience a higher quality of life as the day unfolded? My heart says yes…how about yours?

May this Book Report offer you support and guidance for your uniquely beautiful life.

‍

Gift Ideas for New Graduates

‍

Everyone needs something to look forward to and Sophie Blackall’s Things to Look Forward to is just the ticket to remind us that every day we have so many opportunities to experience joy and connection. With wisdom, whimsy, and compassion, the 52 illustrated ideas in this book offer moments of uplift and serendipity for yourself and your loved ones. (p.s. this makes a great gift for anyone – including yourself)

‍

In Your Dreams: A Vision Board Kit by Ilana Griffo includes all the supplies you need to make a vision board – a collage of words, quotes, and images that visually represent the life we want to create. Included is a guided journal with personal reflections, writing prompts, and questions to help you craft your path forward.

‍

Your Turn: How to Be an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims explores that growing up, it turns out, is not about a particular checklist; it is, instead, a process, one you can get progressively better at over time – becoming more comfortable with uncertainty and gaining the experience to keep going.

‍

Goodbye, Again: Essays, Reflections and Illustrations by Jonny Sun is a collection of essays and other writings ranging from long meditations on topics like loneliness and being an outsider, to short humor pieces, conversations, and personal struggles.

‍

Assume the Worst: The Graduation Speech You'll Never Hear by Carl Hiassen with illustrations by Roz Chast is a hilarious realistic view of a college graduate’s future. Written with a fair amount of benign cynicism, this is ultimately brimming with wisdom and hope.

‍

In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It by Lauren Graham offers advice for graduates and reflections for staying true to yourself from the beloved Gilmore Girls actress. Grounded and inspiring and illustrated throughout with illustrations by Graham herself, here is a comforting road map to a happy life.

‍

Lived Experience: Inspiring Memoirs

‍

Everything Left to Remember: My Mother, Our Memories, and a Journey Through the Rocky Mountains by Steph Jagger will resonate with fans of Cheryl Strayed and Glennon Doyle as a beautiful examination of how stories passed down through generations and from Mother Nature bring us the wisdom of who our memories make us.

‍

One Hundred Names for Love by Diane Ackerman is one of my all-time favorite memoirs, illustrating the truth that lovers have their own language – whether or not words are involved.

‍

Becoming a Gardener: What Reading and Digging Taught Me About Living by Catie Marron is a wonderfully designed, full-color personal account of what it means to become a gardener, filled with the intimacy of the highs and lows of the author’s process and how working with nature led her on a path of self-discovery and personal growth.

‍

The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O’Rourke offers hope for the sick, solace and insight for their loved ones, and a radical new understanding of our bodies and our health.

‍

Creativity as a Path of Growth

‍

Writing for Bliss: A Seven-Step Plan for Telling Your Story and Transforming Your Life by Diana Raab is about reflection, truth, and freedom. With techniques and prompts for both the seasoned and novice writer, it will lead you to tap into your creativity through storytelling and poetry, self-examination and self-discovery.

‍

Conscious Creativity: Look, Connect, Create by Philippa Stanton is a practical, playful guide bursting with inspiration to help bring more color to your life. By opening our senses to what’s around us, we engage with our environments with curiosity-led creative possibilities.

‍

Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide by John Cleese is a delight. Drawing on his lifelong experiences as a writer and actor, Cleese shares his insights into the nature of creativity and offers sage advice on how to get your own creative juices flowing.

‍

If you’re feeling stuck, The Practice: Shipping Creative Work by Seth Godin will help you find a way forward with courage and vision. With this book as your guide, you’ll learn to dance with your fear, to take the risks worth taking, and to embrace the empathy required to make work that contributes with authenticity and joy.

‍

Courageous Creativity: Advice and Encouragement for the Creative Life by Sara Zarr makes the claim that being creative is a right and then show us how to get started. This is for anyone who wants to be more creative, but doesn’t know where to start, or for people who’ve been doing creativity for a while but want more inspiration.

‍

Books for Kid’s + Middle Grade Wonders

‍

Moon: A Peek-Through Picture Book by Britta Teckentrup is as sweet a children’s book as they come. Within its beautifully illustrated pages we discover how the lunar cycles change our relationships and perspectives to the natural world and our places within it.

‍

Bee & Flea and the Compost Caper by Anna Humphrey, illustrated by Mike Deas tells the charming story of a pair of unlikely bug buddies who bring the science of compost heaps to life.

‍

In the Clouds by Elly MacKay is a luminous journey into the sky for daydreamers and cloud enthusiasts big and small. The illustrations are flat out gorgeous!

‍

Christina Soontornvat’s The Last Mapmaker is a visionary tale of adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. Vivid, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this tale of identity and integrity is as beautiful and intricate as the maps of old.

‍

Step by Deborah Ellis is a terrific collection of short stories, featuring children who are all turning eleven and stepping into their futures, hungry for adventure and connection.

‍

Please visit our online Bookshop to see our full selection of lists and titles. 

Thank you for supporting local, independent bookstores! 

We love connecting with you in the shop and online.

‍

May you be inspired, supported, and delighted by what you find here.

‍