Miss Rumphius (inaugural book review!)

Miss Rumphius - Cooney
Originally uploaded by hmrlibrary

RKP makes beautiful shoes, but the things I tend to make are often more functional (things like bread or book cradles). Part of this is because I'm in graduate school right now and busy studying to be a librarian (RKP is in school too, but she finds a way to make it all happen!)...so even though I can't often make amazing and beautiful crafts, I can tell you about amazing and beautiful books.

And is it possible that there is a more beautiful book than Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney? You probably have read it already, but if not, here's why you should:

The story
Miss Rumphius is a little girl who can't wait to grow up so that she can live by the sea and travel to faraway places. Her grandfather thinks both of these are splendid ideas, but adds that there is a third thing she must do: find a way to make the world more beautiful. This book is the story of how Miss Rumphius does that "third, most difficult thing."

Best quote(s)
(while traveling in the South Seas) "Before she left, the Bapa Raja gave her a mother-of-pearl shell on which he had painted a bird of paradise and the words, 'You will always remain in my heart.' 'You will always remain in mine too,' said Miss Rumphius."

Scary bits
Unless you are afraid of riding camels, this book is not scary.