By Jake Sexton
As libraries rebound from the budget cuts of the Great Recession, the San Diego County Library system is focusing its resources on replenishing and expanding our collection of children’s books. The shelves will soon be overflowing with brand new favorites as well as long-beloved classics. This is great news for parents and grandparents, of course, but there are quite a few “children’s books” out there for adults to love as well.
“The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend,” by Dan Santat, is a newly published picture book about an island that is home to imaginary friends who haven’t yet been imagined by a real child. The small, white, blobby Beekle becomes tired of waiting and sets off on a voyage to find his friend. The premise is creative, and the book’s artwork is sharp and colorful and has a fun, cartoony style. The imaginary creatures come in all varieties, from origami bears to tattooed octopi to ornate, multicolored dragons.
Some of the picture books adults might enjoy most are the ones that turn the clichés of these stories on their heads. The clever picture book “Chloe and the Lion,” by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex, begins with the two creators introducing themselves to the reader, but within the first few pages the two begin to fight; the artist is fired and eaten by the cartoon lion. The rest of the book becomes a chaotic new tale about the writer, a replacement artist, a lumberjack, the lion, another lion, and Chloe herself, working together to get Chloe’s story told in the book’s pages.
One more subversive picture book is “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers. A young boy named Duncan opens his box of crayons to find it filled with letters from each crayon explaining that they are on strike. Each crayon angrily explains how they are used too much (or too little), that they are frustrated with his drawing style, or that Orange and Yellow are having a fight about which is “really” the color of the sun.
And concluding with children’s novels rather than picture books, the “Pals in Peril” series by M.T. Anderson is fun and hilarious, aimed at kids and adults simultaneously. Anderson has dabbled in many genres, from prophetic teen dystopias to dense historical fiction, but this series is a combination of absurdist humor and a parody of kids’ detective stories. The series’ opener is “Whales on Stilts,” about a shy, overlooked girl named Lily whose best friends are caricatures of childhood heroes Nancy Drew and Tom Swift. The three are drawn into adventure when Lily’s oblivious father reveals that his boss at the office has a supervillainous plot for world domination, involving the aforementioned whales and stilts.
Of course, these are only a handful of examples of this creative art. Take a look for yourself, or enjoy them together with a young friend.
On the other side of the age spectrum, I’d like to invite everyone to join us for a holiday concert at the library featuring the Rhinestone Grannies. These vivacious seniors will bring their singing, dancing, fancy costumes and vaudeville-style comedy into their show “Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart.” This will take place Saturday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m.
—Jake Sexton is a librarian at the La Mesa branch of the San Diego County library. Call the library at 619-469-2151 or visit 8074 Allison Ave.
