My Storybook Favorites

My Storybook Favorites

Looking through the storybook archives, a multitude of creative and well-designed storybooks sparked my interest.

1. Suitor Tests
One of the first storybook ideas that caught my eye was from the Myth and Folklore course entitled Suitor Tests. It tells the story of Caroline who gets cold feet, so it plays with the themes of "Something Old", "Something New", "Something Borrowed", "Something Blue" to tie Caroline's stories to the myths as each of her loved ones recounted their chosen tale to her. This storybook caught my attention because the author used these common wedding traditions to associate it with the themes or focal points of her stories too. I also liked that she used Caroline's story to draw the reader in because it's heartwarming to see the themes of romance and family in the storybook too.

Wedding Shoes from "Suitor Tests"

2. Around Comes Around: Stories About Karma

The second storybook idea that caught my attention was Around Comes Around: Stories About Karma. We are all familiar with the concept of karma, but we don't know much about the concept's origins or how it's viewed in other cultures. As a result, the author uses Val, a high school guidance counselor, and her student's problems to teach the reader about the importance of karma. She recounts stories associated with karma from the Ramayana and Valmiki storybooks to her students Ben, Amanda, Delia, and Danny, to help them make the right decisions in their time of conflict. By using a high school setting, it made it easier for me to relate to the stories and characters since high school is always associated with learning and coming of age. 

Guidance Counselor Office from Around Comes Around: Stories About Karma

3. Gossip Girl Ayodhya

The last storybook idea that caught my attention was Gossip Girl Ayodhya because I grew up watching and loving the show "Gossip Girl". The layout of the storybook was simple and aesthetic, containing scenic pictures and pictures of art, which also attracted my attention. By using the prompt of "Gossip Girl", the author heightened the feeling of drama and scandal to tell the story of Rama and Sita. I like that the author used "Gossip Girl" to tell the story of Rama and Sita because it provides a modernized take on a classic story. It also makes the story seem more casual since it's written like a soapy gossip blog, making it enticing to read. 

Gossip Girl Kiss from "Gossip Girl Ayodhya"