We are trying something new for this issue. We are letting our new Junior Staff Editor, Sophia Thompson, take over The Nook. And by we, I mean I. This is something I did with some hesitation because The Nook is my baby. It is my playground, where children’s literature romps with the existential nerds on the jungle gym, more essay then review.
There is a fair amount of angst in trying to stifle the sharp voices of writer’s block until what needs to be said is coaxed gently out into the open, but when the final version is sent off, I feel a deep sense of fulfillment and joy.
When thinking about the theme of The Nook that would pair nicely with the broader theme of this issue, The Stone, only one subject spoke to me: resilience. Here is the thing – I don’t tend to like kid’s books in which the protagonist suffers greatly before triumphing over bullies or circumstances. It makes me feel too uncomfortable as the hero/heroine’s pain becomes my own. So that was one reason for passing the baton.
THE NOOK