7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #691:
Featuring Annemarie van Haeringen

h1 May 17th, 2020 by jules


“I really want to fly. Mama says that you can do anything if you really want to. It’s true. You can see I’m already good at it. But my mama finds it hard to let me go.”
(Click spread to enlarge)


 

The Horn Book has posted my review of Annemarie van Haeringen’s My Mama (Gecko, March 2020), simultaneously published in New Zealand and translated from the Dutch by Bill Nagelkerke. That review is here, and today here at 7-Imp I’ve some spreads from the book. …



 


“Mama enjoys playing with me and my cars. I like that, as long as she tidies them up afterwards. They have to be neatly parked in my toy box. ‘VROOM, VROOM.'”
(Click spread to enlarge)


 


“My mama always looks nice. Sometimes she puts on lipstick. Then I want a little bit too, and that’s okay. And sometimes I try to make Mama’s dress prettier,
but that’s not okay.”

(Click spread to enlarge)


 


“When the weather’s good, we go on the swings. Who can go the highest?
Of course I help Mama a bit, otherwise she’d never win. ‘HIGHER!'”

(Click spread to enlarge)


 


“At bedtime, my mama shakes the stars off my pants. I give her a big hug and say: ‘Goodnight, stars, see you tomorrow!'”
(Click image to see spread in its entirety)


 


(Click cover to enlarge)


 

All images reproduced by permission of Gecko Books.

* * * * * * *

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 * * *

I’m going to be brief this weekend, because it’s time for my fellow 2020 BGHB judges and I to have our book discussions. That’s the focus all weekend. I will be here later on Sunday, though, to read about your kicks. And I hope there have been an abundant number of them this week for each of you.





8 comments to “7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #691:
Featuring Annemarie van Haeringen”

  1. Jules! love the 3 books you point to this week (including the video in French but wordless, hahaha!) — so that’s 5, 6, and 7 — but here are the rest:
    1. Baby George, now 11 days old — far far away in Brooklyn but blessedly available through facetime 🙂
    2. rhubarb season (have finally done the pie that’s essential to me, so now on to the fool that is essential to my husband)!
    3. overlapping strawberry season — we’re now on our 3rd GALLON (a huge flat, collected curbside from the farmer who drives it into Nashville) — we’ve eaten them in hand, in salads, with whipped and sour cream, mashed onto toast — today MIGHT be jam day…
    4. fabulous neighborhood dog parade yesterday — real dogs (including a border collie jumping through a hoop!), stuffed dogs, kids drawing dogs on the sidewalk with chalk, kids pretending to be dogs….
    5. the prospect of coming to your house to look (socially distanced, of course!) through the stacks of books and carry lots to Book’Em
    6. oh back to that baby – and his parents, and his uncles and aunt and cousins…!


  2. Oh, My Mama is a delight. I love the art work and baby saying goodnight to the stars.
    Mary, yum. Rhubarb and strawberries.
    My kicks:
    1. The writing class I am taking.
    2. Visiting a farmer’s market yesterday.
    3. Fresh flowers.
    4. Finished The Dutch House by Anne Patchett.
    5. Book club via Zoom tonight.
    6. A visit to a native plant nursery, Bosky Dell.
    7. Fairy lanterns.
    Have a great week.


  3. Mary, happy new Baby George! Looking forward to social distance-seeing you too.

    Jone, did you like Ann’s book? I haven’t read it yet. Enjoy your writing class!


  4. Love the illustrations today and I want a pair a star pajamas like the young elephant here.

    Jules – have fun with your fellow judges with the book discussions!

    Mary – hooray for wonderful new babies! That dog parade sounds delightful.

    Jone – yay for fresh flowers, the Farmers Market and zoom book club!

    My kicks this week:
    1) Obama’s commencement address last night for high school seniors across the country on Graduate Together.
    2) Season 2 of Dead to Me.
    3) Taking socially distanced walks with a friend.
    4) Catch up phone calls with family and friends .
    5) Morning yoga (at home)
    6) Daisy getting her first frozen peanut butter Kong.
    7) Cold rainy spring days perfect for being cozy indoors.
    7.5) Paul Feig’s daily Instagram Live Happy Hours. I don’t join in the cocktail making every day, but I enjoy the music, dancing and his upbeat energy for a 15 minute infusion of silliness, joy and fun.

    Have a great week imps!


  5. Hi Imps! Hi Annemarie! Hi elephants! Hi stars!

    Jules: Enjoy the discussions.

    Mary: Enjoy the family and the tasty treats.

    Jone: Have fun with writing and book club.

    Rachel: Does Daisy participate in yoga?

    My kicks from the past week:
    1) Music
    2) Meaning
    3) Snacks
    4) Sleep
    5) Flowers
    6) Feisty
    7) Fortitude


  6. Jules, yes I liked the book very much.
    Rachel, Thanks for reminding me of frozen peanut butter Kong’s. Buster might like that.
    Little Willow, Flowers and feisty…perfect combo!


  7. Jules, I really liked THE DUTCH HOUSE.
    Rachel, thanks for reminding of frozen peanut butter kongs. Buster would like that.
    Little Willow, Flowers and feisty, perfect combo.


  8. Rachel, we are done, and I can’t wait till winners are announced. I’m proud of our choices. (They’ll be announced on 5/27.) … I so bad want to hear or read Obama’s speech. I’ve heard a lot about it. Hugs to Daisy!

    LW: Feisty! Sassy! (It’s fun to say “sassy!”)

    Thanks, Jone!

    have a good week, you all …


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