Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I’m pretty sure I’ve had Emily Jenkins’ Invisible Inkling on my shelf ever since my son was in–ahem–4th grade. (He’s in 7th grade now.) I recall looking for book lists for 4th grade boys and checking out a few of the most promising titles; Inkling was one of them, only I didn’t get to previewing it until he’d proven himself a picky enough reader that it seemed a lot less promising for him. I still thought it looked fun, however, and so I started it in audio before changing my mind and reading it aloud with my 10-year-old; we finished it on Saturday while she was doing an epically massive sock chore.

The thing is–it’s weird. Not bad weird, mind you, but definitely weird. Inkling is an invisible furry creature that shows up in Hank’s parents’ ice cream shop looking for squash. (Their business is called ‘Big Round Pumpkin: Ice Cream for a Happy World.) Hank is especially ready for a friend, since his very best one recently moved away, and so begins a most unusual story. Inkling’s advice does not always translate well for humans, but he attempts to help Hank navigate life’s ups and downs anyway, and his perspective is definitely more realistic than those of some of the adults in his life. If you’re looking for a quirky school story with a bit of magical realism that isn’t intimidatingly long, give Inkling a try.

My 10-year-old liked it enough that I’ll be putting the next one on hold now.

In the meantime, my oldest graduated from seminary–and spoke at her graduation–yesterday, and afterwards my in-laws and my nephew and his wife came for dinner. Since Friday night was my niece’s graduation party in Davis County, I only had one free evening this weekend. Ah, May…