Griffin & Sabine

Human creativity is on full peacock feathers out display with this one.

The story is laid out as a series of postcards and letters written between two people. Many of them are letters, on separate pieces of paper tucked inside envelopes that are inside the book. This one will be over the head of younger kids but because of the interactive nature, the colorful pictures, and the solve-a-mystery vibe of the story it could be a fun one to read with slightly older kids. 

For me, I started it one night with my six-year-old and then continued to dig through… show more.

This gorgeous book is labeled an epistolary novel (the first of a three volume saga), but in my heart it’s the purist kind of poetry.

When I first discovered this gem, my inner-child giggled when tugging out the lovers’ correspondence from envelopes adhered to pages. Other romantic notes are laid out in vivid vignettes on postcards with fantastical images and dynamic collage work. I hold Mr. Bantock’s art/poetry/novel and brilliant mind in my hands and dream of a project I could create that might reach his level of lush illustration and emotional language.

At the end of the day, I… show more.

These books are just beautiful. I picked them up on sale as a teenager and poured over them over and over. The story is told in the form of letters, postcards, and art sent between two artists. The story is lonely and mysterious, leaving you with more questions than answers. You actually get to open the envelopes and pull out the letters inside as you read. Nick Bantock’s art style is really inspiring.