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Maureen Bush

Updated: Feb 21, 2022

The illustrations in the picture book A Hen for Izzy Pippik enchant me over and over. I adore how the girl and the chicken are visually matched, in colour, in shape, in attitude. I laugh every time I see them. (Written by Aubrey Davis, illustrated by Marie Lafrance).


The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Renata Liwska, another picture book, is about different kinds of quiet, like swimming underwater quiet, and pretending you’re invisible quiet. Both the text and the illustrations charm – this is a perfect just before naptime book.


Maurice Sendak: A Celebration of the Artist and His Work is a book (called a catalogue but it’s a fat book) associated with the Museum of American Illustration show on Maurice Sendak. I’m drooling over this one. I’d love to take the cover and hang it on my office wall. Along with the cover art from Izzy Pippik.


Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman, has the coolest dragons ever! YA, fascinating.


Wool, by Hugh Howey. Wool began as a self-published short story, and became a best seller. This is the perfect book to wave at literary-fiction afficionados who claim genre fiction is merely escapist, while literary fiction is an examination of the human condition. Wool is the best of sci-fi, with an intriguing premise, vivid characters and a profound examination of the human condition. And it’s a really good read, too.


Maureen

Maureen Bush

Updated: Feb 21, 2022

Today is my first day teaching a course on writing for children.


The inevitable questions arise: Will I bomb? Will I stumble over words, forget important author names, look like a total idiot?


Luckily I recognize these questions, as they come up whenever I write. And I know to ignore them. I’ll be fine. The course will be fine. The students will be fine. We’ll all be fine. That’s my mantra as I get ready for this afternoon.


Maureen

Maureen Bush

Updated: Feb 21, 2022

Coexisting with a construction site next door is gruesome. If I write anything about the damage to our property I’ll be completely inappropriate, so I’ll simply say that it’s bad. Mostly, this has become an endurance game, waiting for it to be over. And it will be over. Our property will be repaired, and we will make it better than ever.


The good news is the house next door is a muted khaki green, which is thankfully neutral, since it fills the view out of three of our windows. After seeing several purple houses recently, I am desperately relieved. Anything but purple, I prayed.


Maureen

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