Month: January 2020

Object 2: Angel Night Light

soft, more monochr

On my upstairs writing desk (yes, I have 2: one for drafting and a “production” one for polishing product) sits this beautiful night light, given to me by my friend Matt. He says he found it at an antique shop in Collinsville, CT.

Angel CLoseup

It’s not only beautiful as an object, but it gives off a mellow, pinkish-yellowis, ambient light. I went looking on eBay and found a similar lamp. As an auction item, it was called “Vintage Cherub Drummer Angel Horn Glass Brass Table Lamp Night Light Electric” (oh, eBay poetry, you are a world unto yourself!) but it’s not exactly the same.

Object 1: Jason Reynolds’ Look Both Ways

Here’s something I haven’t seen many of: middle-grade short story collections.

JReyLBW

My copy is the first edition hardback. I think I bought it from Amazon to be delivered the day of its release, so it doesn’t have the book award thingamy on it. It has a beautiful cover, so I like that my copy is unblemished.

I finished reading it in about three sittings. There are ten stories, all set on the same afternoon just as school is letting out. Each story is about a different kid or set of kids and their walk home. I love Jason’s writing — he has a gorgeous prose voice — or for that matter, speaking voice — let’s just say that a Jason Reynolds reading is a fabulous experience. Plus, also, too, he’s written some of my very favorite children’s books. This one is a very good book. (My favorite of his books is As Brave As You, btw.)

I’m holding on to it — it’s a first edition. Jason teaches at my alma mater, otherwise I might never have read his work. But as it happens, I do know these books, and I am the richer for it.