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There’s This Thing

By Connah Brecon

Here’s the thing – there’s this picture book, and it’s called “There’s This Thing.” We adults struggle too with that indefinable something that is front and center on February 14th. We want to find it, nurture it, express it and keep it alive. It’s so important, it has a day all to itself – LOVE!

But children have the exact same feelings in miniature and Connah Brecon has found a way through “There’s This Thing” of painting with words and pictures the “elusive butterfly” called love. My apologies to Bob Lind for the phrase steal from his 1966 song of the same name. If you want to hear it, I’ve included a link below. Might be nice background music to this read.

Across my dreams with nets of wonder

I chase the bright elusive butterfly of love.

Mr. Brecon has found a way to express the sometimes inexpressible, through the eyes of a child seeking and finding that certain “something.” Aren’t we all?

How do you receive it? Send an invite? Does the postman even know where the “something” lives? It is a strong yearning, that’s for sure.

Should she leave trails of crumbs for the “something” to follow? Set a trap and wait?

Will it trap the wrong thing? The “what if” scenarios here are many and meaningful, for they speak to the literal mind of the child. The famous arrows of love that hit, and sometimes miss, are mentioned. Shot a few of those myself!

My favorite part of the book is the young girl’s query of whether she should try to be someone else in her quest? So many choices here that she very wisely chooses to be herself in the quest for love.

The hardest lesson of all in this instant gratification society that our young ones are growing up in, is a pretty profound truth – that sometimes – if you wait – it will, and does come to you! And yes, waiting is hard; but worth it.

Mr. Brecon has done a pretty amazing thing in his book. He has taken the very human longing for love and the emotion involved in that longing, and expressed it in a very literal sense, as seen through the eyes of a child.

Love – so simple; so complex and so wonderful. “There’s This Thing” is a book with the look of love. Please read it to a child today that is looking, and while you’re doing that, wrap it in a big hug!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all the seekers and finders out there! Keep looking!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5mD_loFlfg

by Connah Brecon (Philomel, 2014)

I fell hard for this book. Heart-itching, squeal-worthy, big time bulging-eyeballs-love.

The title is perfect, right? An ode to the impossibility of putting all of the teensy intricacies of a crush into words.

A girl. A hunt. But she doesn’t really know how to grasp this thing.

Because it’s all . . . 

and . . .

Picture sparkles streaming out of a bottle and a warm kitty snuggle. Impossible for words. Only colorful bursts of feeling.

(click to enlarge)

I love her green dress/red hair combo. Strong complementary colors for a stronger girl. She says she’s not brave, but she’s doing just the opposite.

She leaves a trail of crumbs. Sets a trap. And waits.

It doesn’t work.

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

Good question, little girl. (I love that her love parade is marching down Hope Street.)

So when the rain drips down the sign and the marching band has marched on, she is sad. So sad.

I really want to share my heart but I just can’t find the right way to open it.

The thing is, she had. She did. This whole time. And that’s worth a bang-up ending. You’ll see.

Here’s a fun look at Connah and his creative process, and if you haven’t given the Let’s Get Busy podcast yet, start here.

This is a perfect thing for any Valentine of your very own.

Title: Frank! Written and illustrated By: Connah Brecon Published By: Running Press Kids, September 30th,  2014 Themes/Topics: running late, excuses, making time Suitable for ages: 3-7   Opening: Frank was late.                         … Continue reading →