Have you missed my walkabouts? Well, I’m back with a fun one this month! So, strap on your boots and come along with me to a blog that is everything mine is not——funny, witty, inspiring, smart……….you get it. My choice for Heidi’s YA Walkabout #3 is author Amy Krouse Rosenthal‘s website! *throw confetti now*
PICTURE BOOKS AND OH SO MUCH MORE….
I first came across Amy Krouse Rosenthal when I started my job as a children’s librarian. Okay, I didn’t actually come across Ms. Rosenthal…that makes it sound like she was sitting on the bench in the park behind the library. And to be honest, I’m not a degree-holding children’s librarian…..but it is my job title, and I feel like I do it to the best of my abilities, even if I don’t have a piece of paper on the wall saying I’m allowed to do this. Anyway….onto what we’re here for.
One of the first books I used for storytime was her DUCK RABBIT, a piece of genius, if I must say. It is a wacky, creative picture book which tells the story of a duck…and a rabbit…..all in the same pictures. Yes. Look at the cover. It’s a duck…and a rabbit!!! I know, it blew my mind, too. I drew the picture for my young group first, and asked them what they thought it was. Believe me, there were plenty of kids who were really mad when I told them it was two different creatures! You don’t want to mess with a group of four-year-olds who have their ducks and rabbits firmly understood.
Haven’t read it? Here’s a funny little video of a young girl reading it. Hmmm…maybe I should have her visit my new group to do a reading?
All right. I tend to gush about picture books. But Amy Krouse Rosenthal is about so much more than picture books! Does she even write YA? I don’t think so. Does it matter? Nope. This woman is the be-all and end-all of creativity! After finding out about her “Amy K.R. Missions”, I immediately signed up and began to follow each one religiously. Okay, so I never actually did one of her missions, but she knows her way around wonderful things. I bet people are missing these. If you don’t know about her missions, you can see the best-of selection here. Trust me, you’ll want to wander back through the entire list. Great ideas here for librarians, as well!
I want to visit her website every second of the day. There are always new things, from her Beckoning of Lovely strolls, to her ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AN ORDINARY LIFE (that she has completely scanned and posted online. Check out the “Fiction Supplement” written by John Green. Seriously. Do it now.) Have a secret family recipe? You can send it to her! This is a beautifully designed website, a creative space for anyone looking for new ideas, and a great stop on this YA Walkabout. Thank you, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, for every bit of wonderfulness you throw into this world. We need more people like you.
