Tag: manet
Discussion: My Expansion
David:
Hey everyone, welcome back for another discussion of a great book. Today, we will examine My Expansion, a children’s book creating quite a buzz. 
Taylor:
It is. It has these beautiful illustrations, and the story is very sweet.
David:
Yeah, and we actually have quite a bit of material on this one. We’ve got some interviews with the author and illustrator, some early reviews, and even an early copy of the book so we can dive in and see what makes it tick.
Taylor:
Definitely a lot to unpack.
David:
So let’s start with the author, Nancy Manet. Now what’s interesting here is that she’s actually a singer-songwriter. This is her first foray into children’s literature.
Taylor:
You can definitely tell. Her background in music shines through in the writing. The language is very lyrical and very engaging.
David:
Yeah, it’s almost poetic. So, that adds a unique flavor to the book.
Taylor:
Definitely.
David:
Now, on the visual side, we have Michelle Buvala. Her illustrations are striking. They add a whole other dimension to the story.
Taylor:
Yeah, she works with hand-cut watercolors, pens, and ink. And she even uses this really unique technique called watercolor cut paper collage.
Mother’s Day Can Be Hard
Happy Mother’s Day 2025. We know that is hard for some people to hear, so we intentionally left this message until after the day. It might be triggering for some.
Perhaps you grew up with a loving parent who nurtured you beyond their desires and troubles to help you be as free and great as your heart desires.
Perhaps you did not.
Perhaps the person you called “Mom” struggled with their own upbringing full of “dogmatic bullshit” as author Nancy Manet calls it. Maybe they, too, struggled to be free of oppression, and yet they still passed all that abuse and yuck on to you.
Perhaps you weren’t as loved as you could have been. Possibly, you weren’t accepted because of who you truly are. Maybe you were told to be like a neat potted plant instead of a field of wildflowers.
We know that Mother’s Day isn’t easy for some. Know that we see you and want to speak up for all those who carried their woundedness as children and are desperate not to pass that on to their children. Read more