Court

Let this sit, then rate & review

Read on hoopla.

Great pictures and easy to understand text. Was surprised to learn that praying mantis can be a predator of hummingbirds.

3.5
I feel like the title is misleading as it has nothing to do with America, although when she shares pictures with her mother at the end they compare the scenery to the American West and that's it.

Delightful and adorable

Um, wow. This is a lot of build up to a bit of an eye roll, with a lot of cringing along the way. But I did laugh a little in the beginning.

Not for me

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect, I believe my library had this listed as a graphic novel. This is a picture book, which isn't bad, it's just an adjustment of expectations. I think it is good for picture books to cover heavy topics.

A Goodreads friend of mine mentioned that his tween kids skipped the Author's Note in the back, perhaps it would have been better to make it more of an afterward, with images and less text dense to make it more likely to be read by others.

3.5
It's kind of for a niche audience: those interested in working for an LA studio. It does have a much boarder appeal for most of its content, however when it came to the word dense panels highly focused on the aspect of finding a job I got burned out on the topic. I finished the author's experience, but didn't fully read the others' career/life experiences.

And I feel like she captures an authentic side of LA.

Imperfect, but overall I'd consider it more helpful than not

At first glance this might seem too specific, but I think that a parent might be able to use this as a way to talk to a sibling of a child with ASD to help with feelings, expectations, relating, etc.

Also intersectionality and inclusion are important.

I will fully admit to be possibly missing the entire point and got way lost along the way, but the gorgeous language alone is worth the 5stars. There is also such lovely perfectly captured experiences.

I will have to read this again when I have had more sleep and can better follow a complex POV and read the whole thing at once.

Picked this up because Gemma Correll did the illustrations.

It feels heavy, but necessarily so and I identify and love most of Foer's style.

And for the past few weeks I've been trying to change my habits. For now at least his voice in my ear has inspired me to do something a little better.

I should give this additional listens.

Ignored much of the poetry; enjoyed the art

I have a soft spot for flowers and trees.

Light and enjoyable

Obviously read before, but now reread and happy to have it easily accessible.

It's a four star book, but gave it 5 to irritate #45.

Somewhere between a 3 and 4

3.5

It's like a supernatural/dark Yotsuba :)

3.5

Hale means healthy and strong

For part of it I was a little put off by the non-linear style, but I realized that linearity was an expectation that was unfair to the work. I then thought of the style as more ‘slice of life' and enjoyed it much more.

Humorous and endearing

Lots and lots of description (and ice cream). Some of the description I felt was necessary, such as women's clothing.