30 Day Book Photo Challenge - April 28

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28. Pages

Why We Broke Up - Daniel Handler, Maira Kalman

"I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened."
Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship.

I love books that are illustrated, especially in full colour. This book really utilises the illustration in a sort of scrapbook sense. The page directly links to the picture and what significance it held in their relationship. Daniel Handler is the author of some other books that I love but his writing style in this one is very different. I did enjoy it and I love the layout. I recommend it for those of you who appreciate book art (:

30 Day Book Photo Challenge - April 25

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25. Happy Tears

Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus - Mo Willems

When the driver leaves the bus temporarily, he gives the reader just one instruction: Don't let the pigeon drive the bus! But, boy, that pigeon tries every trick in the book to get in that driving seat: he whines, wheedles, fibs and flatters. Will you let him drive? Told entirely in speech bubbles, this is a brilliantly original book.

I borrowed this book from the library so don't have my own copy. This photo is borrowed from this blog.

I read this book on a trip to the library a few years ago. The illustrations are great and the story is told speaking directly to the reader. The pigeon is pleading with you to let him drive the bus and I found it hilarious. I was crying with laughter every time I turned the page. Yes I was 22 at the time. But it's such a good book. There are other books in the series too.
There was a live action play not long after I read it which I watched with my fiancee and we loved it. It was so funny and so well done. If the play is touring any time I recommend you watch it, even if it says it's recommended for the very young.

30 Day Book Photo Challenge - April 08

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8. Nostalgia

Scribbleboy - Philip Ridley

Bailey arrives in a new neighbourhood with his extraordinary family. He has no friends but receives a mysterious invitation to join the Scribbleboy Fan Club. The one and only founder member is Ziggy Fuzz. His vital mission is to spread the word about Scribbleboy and his amazing scribbles which years ago transformed the gloomy grey concrete of the neighbourhood. 

This book was bought for my brother when I was 8 and he was 9. I used to read it in secret when he was downstairs or out with friends because I knew he wouldn't let me read it before he had finished it. I remember that it was the first mystery I had read. There are no real chapters either so it was one of those books I would have to stop reading in the middle of an adventurous part and be wondering what will happen next for a few days. The page I took a photo of is my favourite illustration and the part of the story that always stuck in my mind.
When I was about 13 I asked him if I could keep the book, he didn't really read kids books anymore, and it's been in my collection ever since.