'A Child of Books' and 'Figuring'

A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers.

Of the many perks that come with working at a library, one of the main ones for me is all the wonderful books that I come across on a regular basis that I get to recommend. From popular titles to lesser-known works, the library absolutely holds something for everybody.

Two books that have captivated me recently are A Child of Books, a picture book written by Oliver Jeffers and Figuring, a dense but deeply satisfying tome by Maria Popova. While their audiences are different, each author show great relish for stories and storytelling.

A Child of Books is a child of discovery. Through simple drawings and wonderous prose, our nameless children explore the world through books and have adventures in reading. With each story their world expands more and more beyond what is on the page. A picture book that is sparse in picture but rich in space, it gently guides readers to the fine and transformative act of living through reading.

Figuring by Maria Popova

Maria Popova has been cultivating her own writing and storytelling voice on her website for years now and her book Figuring is an offline concentration of her work there. In her own writing she has accumulated and connected the stories various authors and scientists through space and time. In searching for truth, the meaning to life, love and everything else in between, Popova weaves together the stories of some of the greatest thinkers and dreamers who have made some of the greatest contributions to humankind. 

If neither one of those books are of interest, we can always find another book to enjoy.