Haircut Day with Dad by Monica Mikai and For a Girl Becoming by Joy Harjo

Ferguson Library is continuously adding new books to its children's collection. Two beautiful new ones tap into the love and nurturing that exist within circumscribed communities.
In Haircut Day with Dad by Monica Mikai, a child is taught what to expect at the barbershop on Saturday morning trips there with his dad.

In a Black barbershop, there is much more than hair cutting and shaving going on. As "the broom sweeps up endless conversations," a haircut experience feeds the soul and refreshes the spirit in so many ways that "Dad and I leave feeling like two new guys. I feel like I could win any race, and I feel a little taller."

A little of that feeling rubbed off on me in reading this charming book. It captures the remarkable richness of a seemingly routine experience. This is a book for a dad and small son or daughter to share even if the barbershop is chiefly the territory of the male gender. The illustrations are infectious, with particular attention to hair and to the variety of expressions captured on faces of all ages in the shop. It's a lesson for anyone on how to nurture a child's well being.



Another beautiful book - For a Girl Becoming - is by former United States Poet Laureate Joy Harjo. This one is about the joy the birth of a child brings to a Native American family and community, and the guidance children are given, based on spiritual principles of reciprocity and kinship with everything in the universe. A small example of the content:

"As you travel...remember this. Give a drink of water to all who ask, whether they be plant, creature, human or spirit; may you always have clean, fresh water.

"Give kind words and assistance to all you meet along the way. We are all related in this place. May you be surrounded with the helpfulness of family and good friends."

The entire book is written in this manner while the captivating illustrations enrich the written content on every page.

These two books are all about teaching the ways of the world in ways that simultaneously nurture children and prepare them for living in it.


-Marianne W.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 

    Have you ever had regrets? What would've happened had you never given up that sport? Went on the date with the person at the coffee shop? What would've happened had you lived differently?

    These are the types of questions constantly buzzing around Nora's mind, and Matt Haig offers his answer to these questions.

    Nora is a 35 year old woman who's life is in shambles. Everything in her life has fallen apart, from her family life to her work life, and she has no idea what to do. She believes she is all out of options and has decided she is better off dying. After committing this grave act, she finds herself in a library. A library hidden in the space between life and death. It is here where the librarian offers her a choice. Every book has a different story of Nora's life, and she is free to choose any book to experience. Even the smallest decision has its own book. This begins Nora's long journey of self exploration, growth, and healing as she jumps from book to book experiencing many different versions of herself.

    The narrative is 288pages and told in 3rd person, following Nora and her thoughts. It touches on themes of grief, family trauma, identity, depression, and regret among many others, as these topics can silently weigh down on our lives without us even noticing. It consistently challenges us to shift perspective and cultivate resilience so we may realize we are much stronger than we can even imagine. Every moment is an opportunity to take an action true to ourselves, and every action we take has impact. There are an infinite amount of ways our lives can unfold at any given moment, and the only way to learn what those are is to live. This book will drive that lesson home until you realize it's been a house rule your whole life. 

Please feel free the check it out and share your thoughts. It's certainly one I'm adding to my shelf of favorites!

- Leo H