As a writer I love to read but sometimes I just can’t. There are the usual time constraints and an attention span that’s been compromised by my phone. But mental health problems also keep me from reading when I want to. Anxiety makes it hard to focus for long periods of time, while the constant stream of content is overwhelming, which further exacerbates that anxiety. When I find I can’t focus, I make it easy on myself. I pull out a beautiful book that I can easily flip through, a reference book or one with pictures. Not just for kids, these illustrated books combine beautiful imagery and sparse text, and their condensed wisdom packs more of a punch. The beauty of these illustrated books lies in their accessibility. The stories are relatable for any age. I find comfort in seeing my own experience reflected in an easily digestible form. Here are some of my favorite illustrated books that bring me comfort, joy and understanding in times of need.
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It’s OK to Feel Things Deeply, by Carissa Potter
Published in 2018, this thin book with big potential challenges the idea that we’re supposed to be happy all the time. The bright colors, hand-drawn illustrations and text help the messages stay gentle and fun, keeping it from veering into preachy territory, like many other self-help books. It’s filled with tangible ideas like making a hope kit or brainstorming things you’re thankful for, the latter exercise resulting in a gratitude list without any prescriptive element. The book can be read cover to cover in minutes but that doesn’t take away from the potency of the messages. It may be small, but it packs a punch where it counts.
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Everyone’s a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too: A Book, by Jonny Sun (styled as Jomny Sun)
This black and white illustrated book follows the story of an alien (or aliebn, as he calls himself) named Jomny who is sent to Earth to investigate humans. He meets many creatures along the way including a talking tree, an existential egg who doesn’t know what it is and an artistic hedgehog, among others. He assumes they are humans and sets about finding out everything he can about life as a human. The book explores themes like death and sacrifice, friendship and imposter syndrome. There are small moments of profound wisdom mixed in with punny jokes that will make anyone smile. This book makes the most sense when it’s read in the voice of Chuckie from Rugrats.
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The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, by Charlie Mackesy
Beautifully illustrated, this story centers around the friendship between, as the title has it, a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse. Touted as a book for everyone from 8-80 years old, it can be read sequentially or randomly, with every page holding its own standalone piece of insight. The mole’s obsession with cake brings levity to the subjects of kindness, hope and sadness. This book encourages us to see the best in ourselves and each other, even when it’s difficult. The flowing nature of the hand-drawn text and illustrations feel alive as they move you from one page to the next.
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The Blue Day Book, by Bradley Trevor Greive
This illustrated version of a 1998 bestselling book, subtitled ‘a lesson in cheering yourself up,’ gives new life to a story written by the author whose experience is based around the frustration and heartbreak of being forced to leave the military due to a lung infection. A new character, Elephant, is introduced to carry the narrative with self-deprecating vim. He is an outsider who deals with personal loss, anxiety, hopelessness and sadness. We follow him on his journey from discovering where his blue days come from to discovering things that can help him deal with them. The key, he discovers, is finding things to look forward to, even if they seem unlikely or impossible in the moment.
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Your Illustrated Guide To Becoming One With The Universe, by Yumi Sakugawa
This ethereal book filled with black and white illustrations is all about reconnecting with the universe. Split into lessons are ‘assignments from the universe,’ ranging from practical to out of this world (quite literally). A self-help book championing self-discovery and inner peace, it helps us appreciate the bigger picture that we are all a part of. With helpful advice about facing your demons (and inviting them in for tea and cake!) this book oscillates between dream-like truisms and real world facts. The universe is always communicating with us, it says, but are we listening?
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