Sidekick Coffee and Books has cozy green couches and private booths. It has a long coffee bar, complete with pastries and ice cream. But apart from its floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, the bookstore’s most prominent feature is the children’s section. Rows of children’s books cover two walls and surround three hexagon-shaped reading nooks. Katy Herbold, the owner […]
Claudia McGehee
Watch: Claudia McGehee sketches and scratches her favorite parts of nature
Claudia McGehee’s scratchboard illustrations for children’s books, business logos, Java House cups and other freelance projects have garnered buzz. But the Iowa City artist’s ultimate goal is to reflect the beauty — and vulnerability — of the environment through her work. “I think it’s important that artists are also activists as well,” she said. “You […]

