I am not sure where I first saw the gorgeous illustrations of Matthew Forsythe, but one day my librarian sent me a message to tell me that Mina was ready to be picked up. What a pleasure to discover this book, almost by accident!

I stumbled upon this book while browsing at my favourite bookstore, Brome Lake Books. It is always dangerous for me to enter this bookshop because it is impossible to leave empty-handed, yet it is a danger I cannot resist! This time, I left with Wild Beings by Dorien Brouwers.

Oh my, this book is a real treasure! Marco Mazzoni is an Italian artist who uses colored pencils in a simply magical way. In this beautiful version of Andersen’s fairy tale, Thumbelina, we are carried away in a world of colors and flowers.

This week I am taking a book from my “learning” shelf. Five Simple Steps to Sketching Flowers with Watercolours by Ai Nakamura is a lovely tutorial book. If you have been wanting to start watercolours, but are a bit lost as to where to start, this book is perfect for you. I you have been using watercolours for a while and want to try something different, this book is also perfect for you!

This week, I would like to introduce you to another treasure from my childhood, a game book, a book in which you are the heroine: The Valley of 100 Wonders by Sandrine Gestin. I previously told you about this incredible illustrator here.

I’ve seen this book recommended by so many graphic novel comic book artists and, I was so glad to see it pop up in one of my library searches. The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang is such a beautiful graphic novel, in so many different ways.

I love discovering new graphic novels, and this one is a must read! Rien de sérieux by Valérie Boivin tells the story of Madeleine’s misadventures in love as she searches for a companion in the jungle of modern relationships with the help of more or less effective 21st century tools.

I have to admit that I chose this book because 1. Charles Vess worked on the illustrations; 2. There is mention of cats. This is one of the most fun, entertaining and well-made middle grade fiction book I have read in a long time. Today, I’d like to share The Cats of Tanglewood Forest written by Charles de Lint and illustrated by Charles Vess.

I am so excited to share this book with you because I love it so much! Everything about this book makes me happy: The Fairy Garden by Georgia Buckthorn and illustrated by Isabella Mazzanti is such a treat of a book! If you like gardening and care about living creatures, including fairies, this book is for you!

Last week, I shared Around the World in 80 Trees, written by Jonathan Drori and illustrated by Lucille Clerc. As promised, here is the next book this incredible team has created: Around the World in 80 plants. Even more beautiful than the Tree book, this tome is perfect for any nature lover out there.

When I first saw this book, I couldn’t resist the wonderful illustrations and incredible topic. Around the World in 80 Trees, written by Jonathan Drori and illustrated by Lucille Clerc is just what the title tells you. Presenting 80 trees, this book takes you along for a powerful voyage through cultures and times at the discovery of incredible botanical knowledge.

I had planned to tell you about another book today, but I went to pick up my latest interlibrary loan order this morning, and I couldn’t resist sharing this little book with you right away. My Cats Write Haiku by Minami Shinbo is a small illustrated collection of poems told by the author’s neighbourdhood cats.

As I was ordering a few books at the beginning of the year, this little picture book was recommended to me. Because I love lupine flowers so much, I really couldn’t resist this lovely cover, and impatiently waited for this unknown book to arrive. Today, I’d like to introduce you to Miss Rumphius written and illustrated by Barbara Cooney.

This week, I’m sharing another one of my favorite books with you: The Corner Stores of My Childhood, by the fabulous artist Lee Mekyeoung (이미경). I love this artist and was really happy to find this book collecting many paintings and more! This beautiful illustrated book is published by Éditions Philippe Picquier.

I am so excited to share this book with you because I have been looking for it for so long! It is one of my childhood favourite, and I can remember many hours spent looking at it and reading it. This week, I’d like to share The Twelve Dancing Princesses, adapted by Dorothée Duntze from the Grimm fairy tale.

Last year, I shared Little Witch Hazel as my last book of the year. Well, after I finished it, I asked for more books from Phoebe Wahl at the inter-library loans, and one of them has finally found its way to me! Today, I would like to introduce you to The Blue House.

I received this little book last Christmas. Don’t let its tiny size fool you: Children of the Forest by Elsa Beskow is filled to the brim with wonderful illustrations and a charming story!

A few weeks ago, I discovered Jim Lamarche’s work with the book The Pond. It was such a sweet story and so beautifully illustrated, that I couldn’t resist and ordered The Raft, another book written and illustrated by Lamarche. Well, it did not disappoint!

I had another book planned for this week’s review, but I couldn’t wait to share this beautiful illustrated book: Stardust, written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Charles Vess.

Oh, I’m excited about this one! This week, I’d like to introduce you to the fantastic graphic novel: Anya’s Ghost by the very talented Vera Brosgol.