7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #510: Featuring Leila Rudge

h1 November 20th, 2016 by jules


“The racing pigeons usually returned just before supper. And they always discussed wind directions and flight paths. Or waypoints. Gary loved hearing about their adventures. He would perch nearby and record everything in his scrapbook.”
(Click to enlarge spread)


 

I’ve got a review over at BookPage of Leila Rudge’s Gary (Candlewick, November 2016). That review is here, and below I’ve got another spread from the book.



 


“… the other pigeons are just like Gary.”
(Click to enlarge spread)


 



 

GARY. Copyright © 2016 by Lelia Rudge. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA on behalf of Walker Books, Australia.

Note for any new readers: 7-Imp’s 7 Kicks is a weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. New kickers are always welcome.

* * * Jules’ Kicks * * *

It seems that Trump’s growing administration, and all that is resulting from it, is getting more nightmarish by the minute. I’m trying, ya’ll. I’m trying to find kicks.

1) This is such a well-done New Yorker piece. Don’t go, Obama.

2) John Lewis and the National Book Award.

3) This happened in the town I live in. I regret a scheduling conflict kept me from going to show my own support …

4) … but, instead, a friend came over for dinner, and it was good to see him.

5) I heard TWO NEW SAM PHILLIPS’ songs yesterday. They were oh-so incredible.

That’s about all I’ve got. I’d like it if the President-elect, instead of griping about the cast of Hamilton on Twitter, called for a stop to swastikas being spray-painted all over the country. That would be a kick I’d like to type.

What are YOUR kicks this week?





6 comments to “7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #510: Featuring Leila Rudge”

  1. Hello, Imps! Hello, Leila and the flock! The next time you’re feeling down, picture the cover of that book and sing to yourself:

    Pigeon in a hat
    Pigeon in a hat
    Pigeon in a hat, hey hey hey hey!

    My kicks for the past week:
    1) Good people
    2) Good conversations
    3) Opportunities
    4) Respect
    5) Understanding
    6) Glitter
    7) Movement


  2. Thank you, Leila for sharing Gary.
    Jules, I hear you it is a.nightmare. I love your kicks about John Lewis as well as the looking to music for Solace.
    My kicks:
    1. Second rainbow this.month.
    2. Lunch with a friend.
    3. Book club tonight.
    4. Fire in the fireplace.
    5. Started watching Mad Men.
    6. Time to read.
    7. Important conversations.
    Have a great week.


  3. Thanks for sharing this – the illustration of Gary scrapbooking cracked me up. Scrapbooking is not a thing I do, but the idea of a scrapbooking pigeon is pretty awesome in its silliness.

    Jules – I hear ya. Hooray for John Lewis! And for peaceful protests and rallies, & music.

    LW – Love kicks 1 & 2 & 5 & 7 the most this week.

    Jone – time to read & a fire in the fireplace are wonderful things.

    My quick kicks:
    1) I use twitter at the gym on the elliptical -rage-fueled workouts burn quite a lot of calories!
    2) I send at least 2 tweets to DT every day reminding him he is losing the popular vote & by how much. I plan on doing this every day he is in pre-office/office.
    3) I helped get some attention to the LA senate race by tweeting to Patton Oswalt & Judd Apatow who both retweeted and got the word out much further.
    4) The high school kids in Portland staged a peaceful protest walkout this week – so proud of them.
    5) Snagged last minute tickets to Amos Lee on Friday. Much needed break, I feel better facing the apocalypse with booze and music.
    6) People calling the House Oversight Committee and clogging the lines with calls for an investigation. Effective activism at work.
    7) A catch up over drinks with a friend who was out of the country for over 6 months working for a non-profit. Good to hear of her adventures & all the good things going on in her life.
    7.5) Right now things suck, & I am operating under the “fake-it-til-you-make-it” rule of getting to a more positive place. What has been helping me is to see others who are stepping up, getting involved & being passionate right now. Every time I want to despair I remind myself I am not alone, we are not alone in this.

    Hugs and love to everyone here, you are such a bright spot. Happy Thanksgiving!


  4. Little Willow: My favorite is having heard glitter described as the herpes of school library supplies (or public library story times, for that matter). It may be hard to get rid of, but it’s pretty great (the glitter, that is — not the herpes).

    Jone: We had our book club tonight too. We discussed Wolf Hollow. What’d you read?

    Rachel: Thank you for the 7.5th kick. I need to hear that. Lots of love to you all.


  5. Technically I’ve missed Sunday as it is 1am PST, but just wanted to say that I love Gary, and can’t wait to get my hands on this book.
    My Kicks:
    1. RAIN in Los Angeles. Glorious, all day, still going.
    2. Thanksgiving – my favorite American Holiday. Hoping to find more and more to be grateful for so I can turn gratitude into hope and kindness and generosity and working for justice.

    That is all for now. Have a great week and a Happy Thanksgiving.


  6. Happy Thanksgiving, Allison!


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