Six Picture Books to Read if You Want to Write Picture Books.
And how my physio became my life coach.
Hello! It’s not the 30th of the month but it’s February so here we are, and while we’re here, let’s talk about exemplary picture books that might help us to become better writers. But first
A Story about how my physio became my life coach. (It’s book related.)
Last year, when I broke my ankle and couldn’t drive or go to work, I hid at home feeling glum. I elevated my foot, took painkillers, and told friends not to visit. I ate nothing but pasta with butter and cheese and stopped answering the phone. My injury coincided with the sudden loss of our beloved dog Mango, an irksome medical diagnosis, and the death of a grandparent. I stayed in and, no, I didn’t get lots of writing done.
My twice-weekly visits to the physio were my only outing and family members were enlisted to drive me there. (Step-dad Honi had the most fun because when it was his turn a woman in the waiting room was explaining how the internet works. Apparently, when you receive a vaccination, the medical staff secretly lace it with particles that enter your blood. Those particles communicate with satellites in the sky to power the internet. We’re all powering the internet. Who knew?)
My new physio, Jess, was a bubbly and insistent conversationalist who quickly apologised for the waiting room soap-boxing. She was an avid reader and with just the two of us in a small room it was hard not to engage in conversation, especially when