The problem with books telling you that X kanji looks like Y thing in is that the book is doing the mental work for you. I've memorized more kanji than I can numerate by imagining those connections myself in my brain. Often those connections are geographic and related to personal experience not X looks like Y.
Doing the work to learn anything requires active qualitative (artistic/creative) thinking. Not merely remembering what someone else told you is the "correct" way. #sla #education