What a charming gem of a book this is. There's a great reason to deliver a paperback like this into the world. The grace and whimsy of these inventions, bolstered by the deep emotional links they carry, makes every turn of the page a delight.

The love and care that the father in this book has taken to connect and express love to his children is commendable. I wish I had done this! All of the practical wisdom and drawings in this book were great. I also enjoyed discovering their family dynamic.

Have your hanky at the ready, this is a real tear jerker! A beautiful tribute to the family, these personal notes and drawings from father to son and daughter inspire us, parents or not, to communicate our affection, appreciation, pride and disappointments with our loved ones. You'll smile, laugh (and cry) at these touching remembrances. Kudos to the author for sharing such an intimate memoir.

A version of this review previously appeared in Shelf Awareness and is republished here with permission.

Every morning for 14 years, Bob Guest--artist, husband, father and man of routine who was "ahead of his time"--sat down to write notes to his children on a 6x9 pad of paper. Often folded like little footballs, the notes were tucked into lunchboxes or waiting on the kitchen counter. His daughter, first-time author Joanna Guest, was seven when they began. As an adult looking back at the more than 3,500 notes (out of roughly 4,775) that survived time and the family washing machine since 1995, Guest found wisdom and meaning in them that she couldn't fully appreciate as a child.

In Folded Wisdom, Guest shares the inception of the notes and how they progressed as she and her younger brother, Theo, grew older and their life problems became more complex. Bob was sparked by a desire to encourage Theo to read, and was dedicated to connecting with his kids. One of eight children of a rear admiral in the navy, Bob had a "minimal" personal relationship with his absentee father.

The notes, which often included puzzles and drawings, ranged from snippets of love and encouragement to pages of thoughts on what it means to be part of a family, deal with life and say "I'm sorry." As insightful and charming as the notes themselves, Guest's narration winds between photographs of the real deal. Folded Wisdom is a wonderful testament to love and to Bob's success in perpetuating thoughtfulness and value in expressing ourselves to others.

STREET SENSE: Charming as hell. The advanced copy did not include color illustrations, but a few of the pages can be found with a Google search. They make me want to go track down a finished copy. Who wouldn't love to wake up to something like these notes each morning? This book made me want to meet Bob. What a beautiful testament to fatherhood he, and thus this book, is.

A FAVORITE PASSAGE: The unsung hero of Folded Wisdom is Guest's mom, who never read the notes (until now, I presume) unless she was rescuing one from the wash, saying "They weren't addressed to me." Thus my favorite passage is actually from the Acknowledgments:

To my mom, Gloria--I know you think you had nothing to do with all of this, but the truth is you had everything to do with it. You found every note you could. You stored them in a safe place. You moved them all from our tiny two-bedroom apartment into a big old house. Then, when asked if you knew where they were, you said yes.

COVER NERD SAYS: Probably because I am a person who relates to order and organization, this cover is a bit jarring to me. As I look closer I can see that it's a bunch of folded football notes, but until you read the book that might not be particularly clear. I think fewer notes on a background would have been more appealing to me, but it's not all about me (despite everything you just read). I also would have thought this book to "cutesy" for me, but it's not (whether because it's less cutesy inside or I'm more cutesy inside, who knows? (But you can guess).

I enjoyed reading "Folded Wisdom." It's a comforting book and a good reminder that we parents can use their gifts and talents to influence their children. We never know how our words will impact our kids, and it's important for us to be real, honest and vulnerable with our children.
I appreciate the time and effort Dad Bob took to write the notes, Mom Gloria's insistence on saving them, and Joanna and Theo's willingness to share an intimate look into their family life. The book felt a little too personal, though - almost like the story belongs to the family rather than a wider audience. As I read, I appreciated the wisdom and insights but felt like I was eavesdropping on a sacred moment. However, "Folded Wisdom" does contain great advice and a reminder that children never outgrow their need for parents.

Starting in 1995 and continuing for the next 14 years, Joanna Guest’s father wrote and illustrated a note for her and her brother every single school morning. Yes, you read that right! Every. Single. School. Morning. 😮

Based on a collection of over 3500 notes, Folded Wisdom is the heartwarming story of a father’s love for his children and the impact that his notes had on them all. Guest has beautifully curated a collection of the most impactful notes (including images of them in the book!) and surrounded these notes with the stories of her childhood. She explains that her father used these notes not just as a creative outlet for himself, but also as a way to connect and communicate with his children in a meaningful way. And while the notes were certainly special to the children as they were growing up, as Guest revisits these notes in her adult years she realizes just how much wisdom they contained all along.

This book covers a broad range of themes and I genuinely recommend it for anyone. As a parent, I was inspired by the dialogue that Guest’s father was able to have with his children through this medium. As a daughter, the depiction of the love inherent in this father-child relationship was deeply moving. And on an even more personal note, as someone who lost everything in a house fire five years ago, I was struck by the incredible sentimental value of these notes. Such items are irreplaceable and Guest is fortunate to have such a unique collection of tangible memories.

Folded Wisdom will be available on May 7th wherever you buy books. Sincere thanks to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Joanna Guest for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Every morning from when Joanna was seven and her younger brother was four until her brother graduated high school, their dad would sit down and write each of them a note to read that day. Some notes had drawings, some silly rhymes, others comments on current events. <i>Folded Wisdom</i> is Joanna's tribute to her father's daily notes. Pictures of some of Joanna's favorite notes are sprinkled throughout the book.

Joanna and Theo are so lucky that they received notes of wisdom, encouragement, and love every morning from their father growing up and also that their mother saved most of these notes, allowing them to look back on these words from their father now, tangible signs of his love. The notes shared in this book have wisdom that we all need to be reminded of from time to time. I really enjoyed this book!

Folded Wisdom: Notes from Dad on Life, Love, and Growing Up is one remarkable read! A loving tribute from the author to her father, Robert Guest, Joanna shares some of the over 3,500 (remaining) daily notes that Robert wrote over the course of 14 years to her and her younger brother Theo which were lovingly saved by their mother.

Beginning when Theo was 4 and Joanna was 7, Robert wrote and illustrated daily notes to them both, stopping only when each left home for college. The author admits that she and her brother came to take them for granted, and only with maturity do they recognize how wondrous the notes are. Not one day missed to either child, not one day without an encouraging note reminding them that they were loved. Imagine!!!

The notes themselves cover quite a range of topics, some silly, many timeless, but all consistently showing a father's love for his children above all else. I think Robert Guest hit on a perfect way to get across parental wisdom and lessons without having to worry about the child's current receptiveness to them. No "oh Dad, you're so corny!!" or "yeah, yeah...". No attitude to deal with. Just state your encouragement, message, thoughts, surround it in love and let them receive it. Pure genius!!

What a gift this father (and mother) gave their children. What a gift Joanna Guest has given us in sharing them. Oh, of only everyone went off to face the day backed by such love and encouragement!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

This book speaks to me so much. It is what I, as a parent, wish I could have expressed my support and love as clearly as Bob to my children. It is what I, as a daughter, would have loved to receive from my parents, And it is exactly what I, as a human, should be sharing with those I love. Excellent book.

Folded Wisdom: Notes from Dad on Life, Love and Growing Up by Joanna Guest

Pub date: May 7, 2019
Photography, family, nonfiction
Celadon Publishing
Rating: 5/5

I received this digital ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

ISBN 978-1-250-20778-4 (ebook)

The author moves back home to organize this book containing notes from her father. Her father was an early riser and artist by training who began a morning ritual which included handwriting letters to his son and daughter everyday. Joanna and Theo, her brother, kept the letters not really giving them much thought at the time.

Joanna realizes the wealth of knowledge and dedication it took for her father to express himself each day to his kids. Through the years she realized the wisdom and lessons that he passed on in his subtle manner adorned with drawings. She compiled the notes into this book according to themes including both notes to Theo and herself.

The book reads like a personal diary of a father and his desires for his children. As time goes on, his admiration and appreciation of the adults they become. The notes are touching and reflective of a father “doing the best” he can.