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wolfiegrrrl's reviews
241 reviews
Ikigai: Giving every day meaning and joy by Yukari Mitsuhashi
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
Reading this book is like having a conversation with someone about Japanese culture and philosophy. It's informative, breaks down the language a little bit to discuss word choice and how it differs from English, and compares the Western work-oriented interpretation of ikigai to the "appreciation of life's little moments" that it is more akin to in Japan.
This isn't an in-depth history of ikigai, but rather an easy-to-digest guide to help you find your own and a means of whetting the appetite of anyone curious enough to check out the references in the back of the book for further research purposes.
Chapter 5 features interviews which give good examples of ikigai in 6 people's lives and they share some common advice.Pay attention to what makes you happy or feel fulfilled and ask yourself why you feel that way. Consider your motivations for making important decisions. Look back at your life to see patterns. These all sound like nuggets of common sense you could figure out on your own, but sometimes it helps to read it juxtaposed with anecdotes in a beautiful little book you can enjoy during your lunch break or on the train.
This isn't an in-depth history of ikigai, but rather an easy-to-digest guide to help you find your own and a means of whetting the appetite of anyone curious enough to check out the references in the back of the book for further research purposes.
Chapter 5 features interviews which give good examples of ikigai in 6 people's lives and they share some common advice.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer
Percy Runs Away (Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends) by Wilbert Awdry
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
There's something about the way Percy and Gordon interact in this one that warms my heart a little at the end.
Duck Takes Charge (Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends) by Wilbert Awdry
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Duck is such a good train and I love how he uses the big engines' tactics against them to make a point. Of course The Fat Controller can't pass a day without reminding everyone that he is in charge lest we all forget who gives the orders from his comfortable chair on this railway.
Dinosaur Time by Peggy Parish, Arnold Lobel
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
My two favorite things about this book are the easy pronunciation guides and the stylized (and inaccurate) illustrations of what these dinosaurs were supposed to have looked like. It's such a product of its time and I love it. Big shoutout to the unsettling depiction of the defunct teratosaurus on page 18 that's built like someone stuck the hind legs of an anthro lion onto the body of an iguana!
Dinosaurs by Colin Douglas, Ben M. Baglio
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A concisely written and beautifully illustrated glance at the gradual evolution and development of the prehistoric world, as we understood it decades ago.
Dino-Dancing by Lisa Wheeler, Barry Gott
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
There isn't much in the way of real plot for this Dino Sports series, but the rhymes are fun.
It's a nice way to introduce different types of dinosaurs to kids who are interested in learning their names. But aside from just listing names, showing basic size differences, and categorizing the dinosaurs as meat-eaters and plant-eaters... it's very surface level.
I can't even say these books are that great at explaining the sports these dinosaurs are participating in, but at least this time they introduce different types of dances and I appreciate that dance is actually being shown as a sport in this series. I particularly like how the rhymes for the hip-hop section actually start to sound like a hip-hop beat when you read them out loud. It's pretty clear that this series is for kids who already know the terminology well enough to understand what's happening in the story. Older kids will probably have an easier time of parsing it out, but younger kids are definitely more invested in looking at the pictures and learning whether the meat-eaters or the plant-eaters are going to win this time!
I will say that the concept of this dinosaur fantasy world is fascinating. We now know that the inhabitants of their world are enthusiastic patrons of the arts and collectively appreciate the athleticism those arts require in order to perform them. Dodo even makes a triumphant return from his unexpected hiatus to be the MC of the dance competition! The Pterodactyl Twins try to make their own comeback by flubbing up a Nicholas Brothers-style routine to the tune of "Me and My Shadow," but the existence of that song and the Nutcracker ballet further implies the existence of dinosaur versions of the composers from our own world. What kind of dinosaur would Tchaikovsky be? I wonder what dinosaur Al Jolson's motives were for accepting credit for dinosaur Billy Rose's and dinosaur Dave Dreyer's work? Or has this dinosaur world always been so bonkers for music that there wasn't any need for someone to slap their name on someone else's work to help popularize it?
It's a nice way to introduce different types of dinosaurs to kids who are interested in learning their names. But aside from just listing names, showing basic size differences, and categorizing the dinosaurs as meat-eaters and plant-eaters... it's very surface level.
I can't even say these books are that great at explaining the sports these dinosaurs are participating in, but at least this time they introduce different types of dances and I appreciate that dance is actually being shown as a sport in this series. I particularly like how the rhymes for the hip-hop section actually start to sound like a hip-hop beat when you read them out loud. It's pretty clear that this series is for kids who already know the terminology well enough to understand what's happening in the story. Older kids will probably have an easier time of parsing it out, but younger kids are definitely more invested in looking at the pictures and learning whether the meat-eaters or the plant-eaters are going to win this time!
I will say that the concept of this dinosaur fantasy world is fascinating. We now know that the inhabitants of their world are enthusiastic patrons of the arts and collectively appreciate the athleticism those arts require in order to perform them. Dodo even makes a triumphant return from his unexpected hiatus to be the MC of the dance competition! The Pterodactyl Twins try to make their own comeback by flubbing up a Nicholas Brothers-style routine to the tune of "Me and My Shadow," but the existence of that song and the Nutcracker ballet further implies the existence of dinosaur versions of the composers from our own world. What kind of dinosaur would Tchaikovsky be? I wonder what dinosaur Al Jolson's motives were for accepting credit for dinosaur Billy Rose's and dinosaur Dave Dreyer's work? Or has this dinosaur world always been so bonkers for music that there wasn't any need for someone to slap their name on someone else's work to help popularize it?
Dino-Racing by Lisa Wheeler, Barry Gott
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
There isn't much in the way of real plot for this Dino Sports series, but the rhymes are fun.
It's a nice way to introduce different types of dinosaurs to kids who are interested in learning their names. But aside from just listing names, showing basic size differences, and categorizing the dinosaurs as meat-eaters and plant-eaters... it's very surface level.
I can't even say these books are that great at explaining the sports these dinosaurs are participating in, but at least this time they introduce different types of races, which is a decent gateway for the NASCAR-loving kids to discover a broader range of car-related sports. It's pretty clear that this series is for kids who already know the terminology well enough to understand what's happening in the story. Older kids will probably have an easier time of parsing it out, but younger kids are definitely more invested in looking at the pictures and learning whether the meat-eaters or the plant-eaters are going to win this time!
I will say that the concept of this dinosaur fantasy world is fascinating. Much like in our world's NASCAR events, these dinosaurs and their vehicles are decked out in advertisements, giving further credence to the theory that capitalism is alive and thriving. At least Dodo seems to have taken the opportunity to depart on a nice vacation and left the flag-waving duties to some other dedicated volunteers.
It's a nice way to introduce different types of dinosaurs to kids who are interested in learning their names. But aside from just listing names, showing basic size differences, and categorizing the dinosaurs as meat-eaters and plant-eaters... it's very surface level.
I can't even say these books are that great at explaining the sports these dinosaurs are participating in, but at least this time they introduce different types of races, which is a decent gateway for the NASCAR-loving kids to discover a broader range of car-related sports. It's pretty clear that this series is for kids who already know the terminology well enough to understand what's happening in the story. Older kids will probably have an easier time of parsing it out, but younger kids are definitely more invested in looking at the pictures and learning whether the meat-eaters or the plant-eaters are going to win this time!
I will say that the concept of this dinosaur fantasy world is fascinating. Much like in our world's NASCAR events, these dinosaurs and their vehicles are decked out in advertisements, giving further credence to the theory that capitalism is alive and thriving. At least Dodo seems to have taken the opportunity to depart on a nice vacation and left the flag-waving duties to some other dedicated volunteers.
Dino-Wrestling by Lisa Wheeler, Barry Gott
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
There isn't much in the way of real plot for this Dino Sports series, but the rhymes are fun.
It's a nice way to introduce different types of dinosaurs to kids who are interested in learning their names. But aside from just listing names, showing basic size differences, and categorizing the dinosaurs as meat-eaters and plant-eaters... it's very surface level.
I can't even say these books are that great at explaining the sports these dinosaurs are participating in, but at least this time they introduce different styles of wrestling to give kids an idea of how diverse the sport really is. It's pretty clear that this series is for kids who already know the terminology well enough to understand what's happening in the story. Older kids will probably have an easier time of parsing it out, but younger kids are definitely more invested in looking at the pictures and learning whether the meat-eaters or the plant-eaters are going to win this time!
I will say that the concept of this dinosaur fantasy world is fascinating. Finally, a sport where they get to beat each other up just like they always wanted to! You can really tell that Dodo has been put through so much meat-eater vs plant-eater nonsense up to this point that he is simply fed up with their antics. The Pterodactyl Twins are those class clown types who think they're hilarious for trying to upstage everyone else and crash the party for a cheap laugh. They stole his clothes, for goodness sake! No wonder he let them face off against a pair of Diplodocuses and casually turned his back on their obvious disadvantage!
It's a nice way to introduce different types of dinosaurs to kids who are interested in learning their names. But aside from just listing names, showing basic size differences, and categorizing the dinosaurs as meat-eaters and plant-eaters... it's very surface level.
I can't even say these books are that great at explaining the sports these dinosaurs are participating in, but at least this time they introduce different styles of wrestling to give kids an idea of how diverse the sport really is. It's pretty clear that this series is for kids who already know the terminology well enough to understand what's happening in the story. Older kids will probably have an easier time of parsing it out, but younger kids are definitely more invested in looking at the pictures and learning whether the meat-eaters or the plant-eaters are going to win this time!
I will say that the concept of this dinosaur fantasy world is fascinating. Finally, a sport where they get to beat each other up just like they always wanted to! You can really tell that Dodo has been put through so much meat-eater vs plant-eater nonsense up to this point that he is simply fed up with their antics. The Pterodactyl Twins are those class clown types who think they're hilarious for trying to upstage everyone else and crash the party for a cheap laugh. They stole his clothes, for goodness sake! No wonder he let them face off against a pair of Diplodocuses and casually turned his back on their obvious disadvantage!
Dino-Football by Lisa Wheeler, Barry Gott
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
There isn't much in the way of real plot for this Dino Sports series, but the rhymes are fun.
It's a nice way to introduce different types of dinosaurs to kids who are interested in learning their names. But aside from just listing names, showing basic size differences, and categorizing the dinosaurs as meat-eaters and plant-eaters... it's very surface level.
I can't even say these books are that great at explaining the sports these dinosaurs are participating in. It's pretty clear that this series is for kids who already know the terminology well enough to understand what's happening in the story. Older kids will probably have an easier time of parsing it out, but younger kids are definitely more invested in looking at the pictures and learning whether the meat-eaters or the plant-eaters are going to win this time!
I will say that the concept of this dinosaur fantasy world is fascinating. The Pterodactyl Twins are still allowed to fly over the field this time and I have to wonder if it's supposed to make up for the fact that the Red Team doesn't have any giants to rival the Green Team's larger players. Speaking of whom, Brachiosaurus is about to utterly WRECK the tiny meat-eater on the red team and no one even blinks. Also, we catch our first glimpses of product placement in this universe. It has been made very clear that their world is a sports-oriented one much like ours has become, but are they too living in a capitalist hellscape? Will it stop with the Good Era blimp or are there more advertisements to come in even grander forms?
It's a nice way to introduce different types of dinosaurs to kids who are interested in learning their names. But aside from just listing names, showing basic size differences, and categorizing the dinosaurs as meat-eaters and plant-eaters... it's very surface level.
I can't even say these books are that great at explaining the sports these dinosaurs are participating in. It's pretty clear that this series is for kids who already know the terminology well enough to understand what's happening in the story. Older kids will probably have an easier time of parsing it out, but younger kids are definitely more invested in looking at the pictures and learning whether the meat-eaters or the plant-eaters are going to win this time!
I will say that the concept of this dinosaur fantasy world is fascinating. The Pterodactyl Twins are still allowed to fly over the field this time and I have to wonder if it's supposed to make up for the fact that the Red Team doesn't have any giants to rival the Green Team's larger players. Speaking of whom, Brachiosaurus is about to utterly WRECK the tiny meat-eater on the red team and no one even blinks. Also, we catch our first glimpses of product placement in this universe. It has been made very clear that their world is a sports-oriented one much like ours has become, but are they too living in a capitalist hellscape? Will it stop with the Good Era blimp or are there more advertisements to come in even grander forms?
Dino-Basketball by Lisa Wheeler, Barry Gott
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
There isn't much in the way of real plot for this Dino Sports series, but the rhymes are fun.
It's a nice way to introduce different types of dinosaurs to kids who are interested in learning their names. But aside from just listing names, showing basic size differences, and categorizing the dinosaurs as meat-eaters and plant-eaters... it's very surface level.
I can't even say these books are that great at explaining the sports these dinosaurs are participating in. It's pretty clear that this series is for kids who already know the terminology well enough to understand what's happening in the story. Older kids will probably have an easier time of parsing it out, but younger kids are definitely more invested in looking at the pictures and learning whether the meat-eaters or the plant-eaters are going to win this time!
I will say that the concept of this dinosaur fantasy world is fascinating. Who set up the tip-off to be so unbalanced? T-Rex never stood a chance of grabbing the ball from Diplodocus and everyone knew it! Is Dodo just messing with them now? Also, there's an Elvis impersonator at the half-time show... because of course there's an Elvis impersonator... which implies the existence of a real dinosaur Elvis in this fantasy world. WAS that the real dinosaur Elvis?
It's a nice way to introduce different types of dinosaurs to kids who are interested in learning their names. But aside from just listing names, showing basic size differences, and categorizing the dinosaurs as meat-eaters and plant-eaters... it's very surface level.
I can't even say these books are that great at explaining the sports these dinosaurs are participating in. It's pretty clear that this series is for kids who already know the terminology well enough to understand what's happening in the story. Older kids will probably have an easier time of parsing it out, but younger kids are definitely more invested in looking at the pictures and learning whether the meat-eaters or the plant-eaters are going to win this time!
I will say that the concept of this dinosaur fantasy world is fascinating. Who set up the tip-off to be so unbalanced? T-Rex never stood a chance of grabbing the ball from Diplodocus and everyone knew it! Is Dodo just messing with them now? Also, there's an Elvis impersonator at the half-time show... because of course there's an Elvis impersonator... which implies the existence of a real dinosaur Elvis in this fantasy world. WAS that the real dinosaur Elvis?