Something, Someday
By Amanda Gorman and Christian Robinson
Out library set up a display of books about community and community helpers, and I took all of them. I felt bad for about a second, then realized they literally set up displays so people can borrow books from them. The display worked! I felt better.
Honestly, these two are amazing creators and I would pick up anything they made.
I’m glad I grabbed this one.
It’s a love note to hope and encourages the reader and audience to find ways, even little ones, that they can help, because little things can make a big impact.
It’s a lovely celebration of community, change, hope, and how it just takes one person to start to change the world around us. Amanda chooses every word carefully and it’s a joy to read, while Christian’s playful and accessible art makes you want to look closely at everything.
Check this one out for a dose of hope, inspiration, and heart.
A New Green Day
By Antoinette Portis
This one reads like a little poetic game.
I’ll show you the first two pages so you can see what I mean:
The book continues on like this, with little poetic riddles and invitations to join that nature speaks to the reader. It’s poetry, riddles, and nature infused into one small book, and it also has an overarching story.
This would be a fun writing exercise for anyone as well;
can you write small poetic riddles from nature?
Here, I’ll try:
I have started a dance party;
see the large limbs swish and sway?
Feeling stuck?
Come join us
and I will rock you gently
says the wind
Check this one out for a poetic playful exploration of nature.
This Beach is Loud!
By Samantha Cotterill
Does anyone else know any big feelers who get overwhelmed easily?
Just me?
And also how did my exact way of feeling in the world and being in the world
pass straight through to my two children
like my husband didn’t contribute anything at all?
Honestly, jury’s still out on the second one,
but it’s leaning more toward my way of moving through the world.
It’s pretty fun a lot of the time thanks to imagination, curiosity, and creativity leading the way. And it’s really hard a lot of the time, thanks to anxiety, being easily overwhelmed, and having trouble regulating emotions.
But we’re still here, aren’t we?
And this book helps.
A little boy is SO excited to go to the beach! He can’t stop talking about it and getting ready but when he gets there…suddenly everything is too much. Too hot, too loud, too scratchy, too many people…and he wants to go home.
This exact scenario has happened multiple times with our kids (all the feelings at other new places, not the beach!) and I have to admit it frustrates the planner side of me. We did all the work to get here! Can’t you just enjoy it? No, they literally cannot. At least not without a little bit of help.
Luckily in the book Dad knows he just needs some time to relax, to stim a bit, to get regulated, and then they can try again and modify what they can modify.
I always strive to be like this Dad in those situations, but sometimes when it’s too much for me I can’t regulate myself and everyone else through it.
This is a great book for our family to talk about how we need some time sometimes, or we may need something that others don’t need, and how our expectations may not match up to reality.
If you don’t know kids that can relate to this? It’s just as important to read, because surely they will come across other kids who are like this. And when they do they can be empathetic and understanding.
Check this one out for an example of how to come down from overwhelm.
Prejudential: Black America And The Presidents
Margaret Kimberley
Put this on hold at the library right now;
it’s a perfect read for February,
when the US celebrates Presidents’ Day.
This book has a chapter on each President, ending with Trump, talking about how their policies and actions benefited or harmed the Black community.
Spoiler alert; it’s a ton of harm. Though it’s hard to read at some points, it’s important to read, especially as we are consistently mostly fed only the good things about our nation’s leaders from elementary school on.
It’s important to know our history, and sadly much of that includes Black people putting their trust in leaders who again and again let them down, either because the leaders flat out lied or the one Black people voted for was the best of two evils.
Check it out for a quick and honest look at the Presidents and their policies on race and social justice.
This pairs really well with the above book;
Heather is really talented at writing about history in such a truthful, hopeful, engaging way.
Worried about the state of the country? It’s heartening and disheartening to know that we’ve been here before, and women and minorities have time and time again helped lead the change toward becoming a country that strives to include and help everyone.
This is not an exhaustive history, but a general history of social change in America and a reflection on how we got to where we are and a bit of what it will take to get us back on track. It’s true that Heather leans toward the side of preserving democracy, so a bit to the left, yet doesn’t preach or show too much bias.
Her daily newsletter is a great way to stay informed about what’s going on in our country without being overwhelmed; you can subscribe to it on Substack or get it via Facebook I believe.
Check this one out for a bit of history, a bit of hope, and inspiration to take some action (yeah the election is in November but we can start talking about it now!)
I’ve been thinking a lot about how I want to use social media going forward.
I really like the slower pace of publishing once a week here,
and the longer form videos I’m making to share on YouTube.
I’ll still be on TikTok occasionally because content there NEVER dies…just last week someone commented on a post I did in preparation for the LAST leap day. So yes, FOUR YEARS AGO and it’s still getting sent out in the world. Of course that’s not the case with every post, but it’s pretty cool that some of them are still going strong like that.
So what can you expect in all the places?
This newsletter/substack will feature books weekly, and I may do a post here or there rounding up books on a specific topic.
TikTok is likely going to stay books and general commentary.
I’m going hard for my goal to get monetized on YouTube by the end of the year (1000 subscribers, 4,000 watch hours) and will start publishing A LOT MORE in February. You’ll find videos about books there (Books with KE), reaction videos around books and intentional living, and videos on intentional living where I share things that have made me live easier and may make your life easier too!
And I JUST started a new substack publication called Let Yourself Lead The Way, which focuses on intentional living. Here’s the intro post where you can see if you’re interested in what I’m sharing there:
My most recent post features a DIY love note project that would be perfect for Valentines Day or a Valentine’s Day advent, or love notes or thank you notes anytime of the year!
Let’s chat in the comments!
You can say whatever you want or answer one of more of these questions:
1. Tell me about a time you made a small change that made a big difference.
2. Do you get overwhelmed easily? What things send you to the edge?
3. What do you like about the book you’re currently reading?
See you in the comments and
happy reading until next week,
Kathy Ellen
1. Tell me about a time you made a small change that made a big difference.
After Roe V. Wade got overturned, I held a book giveaway where our family donated 25 cents for each book to one of three places: Planned Parenthood, The Transgender Law Center, and a program that got books with LGBTQ+ characters to the readers who needed them. We also collected donations if people wanted to give.
Someone at that event gave me a sizable donation, and when I expressed I'd like to help more in the community, they shared opportunities for me to do that. Since that chance meeting we have become close friends, I've graduated to an admin of a group they are also an admin in, and I've made such a difference in my community. I'm so glad they came to my book giveaway. And I'm so glad I did it!
2. Do you get overwhelmed easily? What things send you to the edge?
I need to move my body and I need to have quiet time. If I haven't had enough of those, then noise starts sending me over the edge. Everything gets too loud and stale almost, and I need to go do one of those two things to feel better!
3. What do you like about the book you’re currently reading?
I'm reading about people leaving the Evangelical movement and it's fascinating. I have no direct experience with that so it's all new to me!