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da Shop: A Reader's Blog

Finding Space to Dream by Michelle Regan
Finding Space to Dream by Michelle Regan

By da Shop Staff on Oct 10, 2020

This guest post is written by yoga teacher and writer Michelle Regan: A student told me recently that everyone has at least one book in them. I didn’t want to squash his spirit, but I disagree. He certainly...

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A Maker's Book Map by Mariko Merritt
A Maker's Book Map by Mariko Merritt

By da Shop Staff on Sep 24, 2020

When bookseller Kristen told me her idea for making book maps, I reacted with an almost embarrassing amount of excitement. Books and Mind Mapping! Two things I LOVE. I immediately started listing and connecting all the books I’ve read in recent memory. The map that grew the most was this one. These are all books related in my mind to Making - creating things with the hands. Want a quick tour?

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Writer on the Run by Michelle Regan
Writer on the Run by Michelle Regan

By da Shop Staff on Aug 18, 2020

"Running and writing have a lot in common. The rhythm of feet on pavement, the tapping of fingers on keys. Both feed a need to get what’s inside out. They require commitment and focus. They teach us about ourselves. They take us to our limits and back."

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Secret Doors and the Stories of Mac Barnett by Kristen Namba Reed
Secret Doors and the Stories of Mac Barnett by Kristen Namba Reed

By da Shop Staff on Aug 12, 2020

With my infant daughter asleep in my arms, I listened to Mac talk about making books for children and drawing the fictional world into his early work at the writing nonprofit 826 Valencia (where classes famously take place in a room behind their Pirate Supply Store)... A good book is a secret door, Mac explained. “Kids can get there a lot more easily than adults can, and that’s why I love writing for kids. I think kids are the best audience for serious literary fiction.”

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The Story Only You Can Tell by Michelle Regan
The Story Only You Can Tell by Michelle Regan

By da Shop Staff on Jul 22, 2020

This guest post is written by yoga teacher and writer Michelle Regan: In the spring of 2014, I found myself sitting in an unremarkable hotel conference room waiting for a breakout session to begin. I was ...

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ʻOhana Fun: Grow! with Heather Mohr of Keiki and Plow
ʻOhana Fun: Grow! with Heather Mohr of Keiki and Plow

By da Shop Staff on Jul 13, 2020

For some great ‘ohana gardening tips, we turned to Heather Mohr, the Executive Director at the family-run, organic farm Keiki and Plow. Aunty Heather helped to curate tips to get the keiki started planting at home, easy veggie recipes, and some of her favorite books for keiki and adults centered around the theme: Grow!

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Unstuck: Getting Comfortable with Uncertainty by Michelle Regan
Unstuck: Getting Comfortable with Uncertainty by Michelle Regan

By da Shop Staff on Jun 30, 2020

I think it’s best I come clean. If you’re going to trust me as your guide, I owe you that much. So, I have a confession to make: I don’t believe in writer’s block. It doesn’t make sense. As if your mind h...

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da Shop Read Aloud: Author Ron Hirschi Reads His Book
da Shop Read Aloud: Author Ron Hirschi Reads His Book "Shark Patrol"

By da Shop Staff on May 27, 2020

Welcome to another virtual story time with da Shop! Join us for a reading by author Ron Hirschi of his book Shark Patrol: A Discovery Adventure in Hawai‘i, illustrated by Tammy Yee. Mahalo, Ron!

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The Perfectly Wonderful World of Chirri and Chirra by Mariko Merritt
The Perfectly Wonderful World of Chirri and Chirra by Mariko Merritt

By da Shop Staff on May 19, 2020

The Chirri & Chirra picture book series is one of my faves. It’s six adorably chipper books by Japanese author/illustrator, Kaya Doi. In each book, the sisters Chirri and Chirra take their bikes on adventures - “Dring-dring!” - exploring nature or the nearby town, meeting friendly creatures, and finding delicious things to eat. And they always have a perfectly wonderful day.

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Creating Mindful Beginnings by Michelle Regan
Creating Mindful Beginnings by Michelle Regan

By da Shop Staff on May 15, 2020

A few years ago, I worked my way through The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. It’s a 12-week self-guided workshop in creativity that’s become a cult classic among artists of all stripes. By far, the exercise that I found most useful is Cameron’s morning pages. 

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da Shop Read Aloud: Author Kim Vukovich Reads Her Book
da Shop Read Aloud: Author Kim Vukovich Reads Her Book "Hush Little Keiki"

By da Shop Staff on May 14, 2020

Welcome to another virtual story time with da Shop! Join us for a reading by author Kim Vukovich of her book Hush Little Keiki, illustrated by Mariko Merritt. Mahalo, Aunty Kim!

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How to Be, or At Least Trying to Be
How to Be, or At Least Trying to Be

By da Shop Staff on May 12, 2020

We've heard it before: Be in the moment. Be present. Just be. Even the best of us who practice yoga or already embrace some form of meditation––if we are honest––still struggle to master the art of being. In a modern society of busyness, to be still and quiet is unnatural. To do nothing feels foreign. Finding an antidote to boredom is a struggle. And, in the midst of this pandemic’s forced shutdown, having more time unexpectedly on our hands can feel ironically stressful.

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