I would like to bring into the spotlight a picture book that was published a couple of years ago called Virginia Wolf, written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. I recently revisited this title and remembered how brilliant I think it is! The book is an interpretation of the sisterly dynamic of the author, Virginia Woolf and her sister, the painter, Vanessa Bell. (I might add that in June I went to the International Conference on Virginia Woolf, so, needless to say, Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group are fresh in my mind.)
The story celebrates the love between sisters and artfully addresses depression, a topic that we don't really see that often in books for young children. The poetic words and vivid images explode across the pages expressing transformation of feelings and shifting of moods in a creative and accessible way. Quite a number of libraries in Suffolk already have it in their collection and I encourage you to (re)discover it. . . especially if you (or one of your patrons) are having a particularly "wolfish" day.Virginia Wolf
From the makers of Spork, a story of two sisters, one blue, the other radiant, both brimming with imagination.
Vanessa’s sister, Virginia, is in a “wolfish” mood — growling, howling and acting very strange. It’s a funk so fierce, the whole household feels topsy-turvy. Vanessa tries everything she can think of to cheer her up, but nothing seems to work. Then Virginia tells Vanessa about an imaginary, perfect place called Bloomsberry. Armed with an idea, Vanessa begins to paint Bloomsberry on the bedroom walls, transforming them into a beautiful garden complete with a ladder and swing “so that what was down could climb up.” Before long, Virginia, too, has picked up a brush and undergoes a surprising transformation of her own. Loosely based on the relationship between author Virginia Woolf and her sister, painter Vanessa Bell, Virginia Wolf is an uplifting story for readers of all ages.
Virginia Wolf Trailer
_______________________________________________________________________
Kyo Maclear's new book Julia, Child was just released this month!
No comments:
Post a Comment