Jul 14, 2017
A few years ago, I stumbled upon a marvelous children's book, Sparky!, written by Jenny Offill and illustrated by Chris Appelhans. I was immediately drawn to the cover, with an elegant yet simply drawn sloth draped over a tree branch, and forever captured by the story of a girl who learns to love, not for what you want others to be, but for who they really are. Gorgeously illustrated, frequently funny, and always touching, Sparky! has been one of my favorites ever since. My mom shares a similar fondness for the book and its lesson, so I made her a rather large plush reminder of how much I love her and appreciate her love for my true self. Kudos to Offill and Appelhans on this beautiful piece of art, and for creating such a lovable sloth.