Anyone who knows me well can confirm my excitement when stumbling across gorgeous, artistic books for children. Several weeks ago, I happened to find the book ALPHABEASTIES: AND OTHER AMAZING TYPES by Sharon Werner and Sarah Nelson. I spent a long time admiring each page, so much that I wanted to frame each page of this children’s (and adult) picture book afterwards. The creative use of typefaces, colors, images, and interactivity make Alphabeasties a valuable addition to anyone’s library.
http://www.wdw.com/
Of course, being a person who reads acknowledgements and frontis pieces, I was excited to learn the creators of Alphabeasties are from St. Paul, MN! What a nice coincidence! They are the brains behind Werner Design Werks.
As the gals at Paper Darts have stated many times before, we are very fortunate to live in such a smart, literary city! Or in this case, the Twin-Cities. It’s one thing to find a book one enjoys. It’s a totally different feeling when so many good books, and good writers, come from the same place. This includes Sharon Werner and Sarah Nelson.
My suggestion? Go buy this book. Keep it for yourself, and buy a few extra to give to any child and/or adult who’d appreciate Alphabeasties.
Finally take a lesson from Sharon and Sarah, love and nurture your own book idea, let it grow into something will stand out with readers. Don’t get overly worried about trends and what you “think” publishers will like. Instead, put your energies into creating a smart, memorable book – one that will leave a distinctive mark with readers.
