Maira Kalman

This was an impulse purchase at a library sale. My kids were small and the book cover looked like it would be an interesting story. They never seemed to take to it. But tonight I reread the book as I was doing some organizing. This was the first time that I actually read the book all the way through and I was pleasantly surprised. It is an imaginative take on the idea that there are lots of jobs out there. I now wish that I had read it sooner as I may have gifted it to one of my children as they entered high school and everyone started asking them what they wanted to be when they grow up. Personally, I am moving it away from the actual children's books and placing it with the regular part of my library.… (more)

Women Holding Things - Kalman
4 stars

An online book group friend brought this book to my attention. It turns out, I was already familiar with Maira Kalman’s illustrations of children’s books. Her paintings are deceptively simple. The text that supports the art of this book is also deceptively simple. It’s poetry, memoir, and art history. Easy reading with room for meditation between the lines.

I had a 21 day Hoopla checkout of this book. I can’t say that I looked at it daily during that time, but I returned to it more than once. I could buy a kindle copy easily, but I’m looking for a hardback edition. I think I want to hold it in my hands while I turn the pages slowly.… (more)