When I worked as a creative director years ago, our small firm was focused on design for the audience of kids and families. We even had the words, “we are students of kid culture” as part of our mission statement. We always kept up with the latest news, toys and trends and I never stopped doing that in the 15 years since I left my design job to start my toy and faux taxidermy business. I make weird and wonderful things so that people can add some play and magic into their daily lives. Seeking out other cool things is just part of my day. Sharing those things with you will not only help creators and creative institutions I love, but my hope is that it will also help you in your own creative pursuits and in business.
For example, it was essential for me to know the reason why my axolotl faux taxidermy had a steep sales climb in June of 2021. It was because axolotls were now a part of Minecraft. Knowing this allowed me to adjust the number of axolotls I bring to shows so that customers aren’t disappointed when they sell out. I also get to chat with kids and hear even more about things they’re into these days. I look for playful design trends for any age, and I love celebrating the people who are doing those things well. I’ll be sharing stuff from indie designers as well as huge, commercial successes. It’s all part of the cultural conversation.
Picture Book:
Oh No, the Aunts Are Here
Written by Adam Rex and Illustrated by Lian Cho
This duo is so great together, and I’m looking forward to reading more books from them in the future. Check out Adam Rex and Lian Cho’s Substacks for a deeper dive into how this book was made.
Art Exhibit:
Christian Robinson at the Eric Carle Museum. We went with friends last Friday, and if you’re in the Western Massachusetts area and are a fan of Christian Robinson (I mean, who isn’t?) go see it before it closes in a week! I was fascinated to see that the originals are slightly smaller than the final printed books. As a book and production nerd, I delighted in comparing the printed book to the original piece and seeing what was changed when it transformed into its final form. There’s something different when you see original art in person. You can really tell how it’s made and look at it from all angles. Seeing the added depth that you can’t get from a printed page made me love Christian’s art even more than I already do. Fun fact: The Oh No, the Aunts Are Here book was proudly displayed on the front desk in the Museum library!
Middle Grade Book:
Front Desk
Written by Kelly Yang with illustrations by Maike Plenzke
I’m late to the game on actually reading this one, even though I’ve seen it on lists for years, but I’m so glad I finally did. I loved the complex family relationships, navigating how and when and why we keep secrets and the difficulties that arise both when we tell them and when we keep them hidden and how to work through that. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Artwork:
Collage with Backpack, Zebra Stripes and Flower Patch
By Stella Brown (age 5)
My friend’s child presented this piece of artwork to me when I was vending at an event a week and a half ago. I will never get tired of seeing the art that kids create. They have zero hangups about being creative and I am here for it. When I asked Stella to tell me about her artwork, she pointed out that the yellow rectangle with orange pieces glued on top was a backpack. And: of course it is! It’s a perfect backpack! And now, the next time I make a character with a backpack you know it’s going to be in these colors.
Games:
Familiars and Foes by Horrible Adorables
We’ve been friends with the Horrible Adorables team since our paths crossed many years ago at craft shows. Jordan and Chris make awesome stuff, so when they launched this game on Kickstarter, I rushed to back it. Their prototype unboxing video just came out and they’re going to be at Gen Con coming up in August if you want to meet them in person. You can preorder your own copy here if you’d like.
So that’s it! Let me know if you’re also a fan of any of these things or if you want me to do a deeper dive into any of them. Feel free to share this newsletter with your friends as well!
This is so interesting about the axolotl, Jen. I just recently read about the origins of the Kawaii culture. And how it connected to female roles in Japan and stemmed from rebellious schoolgirl handwriting. And how the Sanrio company targeted those grown up schoolgirls later and hit the bull’s-eye, thus cementing kawaii for adults and company’s position on the market. 👌