The Imaginaries: Little Scraps of Larger Stories

Many books are bad (I can admit that), some books are good, and a few books are great. Even fewer are great at being more than one kind of book at the same time. Oregon's Emily Winfield Martin has long been one of my favorite children's book artists, but she's reached new heights with this, her most recent publication. The Imaginaries collects an array (a sequence?) of her evocative, inimitable illustrations, each accompanied by a caption that will delight and perhaps confound kids of all ages, from toddlers to tweens. As a readaloud, this is a neverending story that allows a child's imagination unfettered rein. But adults too, at least those of a creative bent, will be inspired just as much. Is it a picture book? Art book? Guide for seekers of truth and beauty? The Imaginaries says yes to all those questions, and to many more. —James [from the Madison Books newsletter]