a flash of color and light: a biography of dale chihuly

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, with an art history major mom, and as a result I visited a lot of museums and learned about Northwest artists. Dale Chihuly was arguably our most famous local living artist, so I saw a LOT of his glass installations. I have to say that as a younger child they were a bit lost on me – you couldn’t touch or play with them, and they were often mounted far away, or behind plexiglass. As an adult, I’m very proud of Chihuly’s glass, and I recognize it immediately, anywhere I see it around the world – thanks mom! When I saw that there was a picture book biography about Chihuly out from a Seattle publisher, I knew I had to take a look. Author Sharon Mentyka and illustrator Shelley Couvillion's nonfiction picture book A Flash of Color and Light: A Biography of Dale Chihuly is one of the most visually vibrant and beautiful picture books of the year.

 

The first-ever picture book biography of world-renowned glassmaker Dale Chihuly—with stunning watercolor illustrations that reveal the history of the art—for aspiring artists ages 5-9.

Travel along with Dale Chihuly on his life’s journey full of curiosity, discovery, teamwork, and perseverance as he overcomes challenges to become a glass artist of international acclaim.

Dale Chihuly’s early life presented many challenges, such as tragic losses in his family at a young age and an accident that left him blind in one eye, yet his resilience, hard work, and optimism taught him life-long skills that became inseparable from his body of work—incomparable glass creations that provide rich material for the book’s gorgeous illustrations.

In this picture book biography, Mentyka covers the formation, education, and career of Chihuly throughout several decades, and showcases his artistic evolution. She makes a case for Chihuly’s greatness by discussing his artworks, the school he co-founded, and his worldwide fame. However, as you’d expect in a book for children, there is a substantial focus on Chihuly’s younger years, family life, and his first attempts at art. Mentyka’s biography highlights three elements: an ordinary life broken by tragedy, Dale’s fascination with water, and his dedication to glass. In the final pages, Chihuly’s types of glass artworks are identified, a more in-depth biography and family photo from Dale’s childhood and a glassmaking glossary are included, and finally, there’s a timeline of Chihuly’s life events from 1941-2012. The story itself is basic, but the back matter will give young readers a strong starting point to understand one of America’s most talented craftsmen/artists. 

As an adult reading a picture book, I was impressed most by those final pages (after the story concludes), which went into further detail about Chihuly’s life and contribution to art. These pages also prompted me to read more on Chihuly’s own website, and look up photos of his artworks for reference. For children, this book’s art alone will undoubtedly inspire their own curiosity and creativity, but delving into the back matter (perhaps with an adult guide) in depth will prompt questions about art-making and Chihuly – it is that intriguing!

And that art – it is especially stunning and attention-grabbing, almost neon in its vibrancy. It feels as though artist Couvillion (who I didn’t realize was someone I followed on Instagram??) understood the assignment deeply, and dove right into a psychedelic rainbow of color. Her medium of watercolors and pens (that’s a guess on the last one) perfectly washes the sky, sea, and land, along with details of architecture and indoor interiors – but the star of her art are the renditions of glass. It’s there in a true kaleidoscope of brights – all bleeding one into the other in layers just like Chihuly’s glass does. In contrast, Couvillion’s figures are flat and slightly boxy, with textures (Chihuly’s curly hair looks like so many waves, or perhaps pasta!), stylized features (look at the hands!), and skillfull shadow and light work. The art alone is worth pouring over again and again and again. Bravo!

 

Note: One page mentions that Dale lived in an Israeli kibbutz for a few months and that it was a formative experience in his young adulthood. The kibbutz movement was and is a Zionist project. Dale himself is not Jewish. Given the state of the world, this is an authorial choice that deserves more context and interrogation.

 

In all, A Flash of Color and Light is a celebration of color, light, glass, and Dale Chihuly’s enormous contribution to the field of glassmaking and art.

Recommended for: young ones ages 4+ and the adults who read to them, those interested in picture books about art and biographies of artists, and anyone who appreciates absolutely gorgeous illustrations.

 

A Flash of Color and Light: A Biography of Dale Chihuly will be released by Little Bigfoot (Sasquatch Books) on October 15, 2024.

Fine print: I read an advanced digital copy of the text on Edelweiss. I did not receive any compensation for this post.

counting board books for art lovers: kahlo's koalas and one white crane

I like gifting board books and picture books whenever I visit the children in my life – it is not-so-secretly my ambition to be remembered as that aunt, the one who always gave interesting books! (and maybe also in some small way sparked a love of reading) I’ve noticed that at most baby showers and birthdays, folks give the same board books they cherished as children. And that’s lovely – who wouldn’t want to share the books they hold dear! I am a little paranoid, however, that I will copy the same book that someone else just gave, so I am ALWAYS, always on the lookout for standout board books to add to my gifting repertoire. Grace Helmer’s Kahlo's Koalas and Vickie Lee and Joey Chou’s upcoming One White Crane are two that I wholeheartedly recommend for art-appreciating parents and their little ones.

From Henri Matisse’s monkeys and Jackson Pollock's poodles to Roy Lichtenstein's llamas and Wassily Kandinsky’s kangaroos, this beautiful 1-10 counting book provides an imaginative learning experience that will appeal to adults and children alike.

Introduce your little one to some of the world’s best artists while teaching them their numbers 1 to 10. With illustrator Grace Helmer's quirky renderings of animals in the style of world-famous artists, Kahlo’s Koalas extends the basic counting concept in a simple, one number, one image per spread format that introduces the smallest children to their first concept of numbers, animals and art appreciation.

 

On each page of Kahlo’s Koalas, a different animal and number are featured in the style of a different artist. For example, the book starts with 1 Picasso panda, 2 Kahlo Koalas, and goes from there. The alliterative animal choices make for a fun tongue twister with the artists’ last names, and there are playful artistic choices as well (the Monet mouse in an inner tube among the water lilies was a fun touch!). The artists featured within hail from a wide range of styles and eras, but there are none who are pre-Modern – it’s all Impressionists and onward. One final page at the back of the book talks about each artist’s style and “how” they made their art. Helmer focuses on creating illustrations that mimic the artists’ styles, and leaves the text simple – an effective choice among complex images.

 

In all, Kahlo’s Koalas is a beautiful, interesting board book introduction to art and counting that is sure to appeal to both toddlers and their parents.

One white crane, two black bears . . .

Simply told and beautifully rendered, this counting board book takes young readers through the months of the year. Each month focuses on a new animal, from seals in May to cicadas in September. Sweet, accessible text in English and Chinese pairs with eye-catching art for a wonderful repeat reading experience.

One White Crane is a bilingual (English and Mandarin) counting book that also teaches the months of the year, and colors as well! Given the twelve months, the count goes up to 12, and there are 12 different animals. The gorgeous Charlie Harper-esque geometric art is featured on each left facing page, and text in English and Mandarin on the right. It is a simple, effective, and quite frankly, beautifully designed book – even if you don’t speak Mandarin and don’t intend to learn! I enjoy gifting bilingual books to children even when their parents don’t speak both languages because any language exposure is good exposure, but this could be a fun way for parents and children to learn side-by-side, or for bilingual parents and families to share their language culture together with their children.

 

In all, One White Crane is a delightfully simple board book with beautiful art and a lot of learning potential.

 

One White Crane will be available from Henry Holt & Co./Godwin Books on December 13, 2022.
 

Fine print: I received a finished copy of Kahlo's Koalas and an ARC of One White Crane from the publishers for review consideration. I did not receive any compensation for this post.

slip

The bright coral pink monster hovering over the main character on the cover of Marika McCoola and Aatmaja Pandya’s young adult graphic novel Slip caught my attention several months ago. Still, I didn’t sit down to read it until yesterday. I’m on the 2022 CYBILS Awards graphic novel panel this fall, and Slip’s nomination was a great nudge to finally check it out of the library and commit. I fell in love with the story, and I think you will too – it has emotional depth and the art is just as lovely and inventive as the cover promises.

 

Right before Jade is about to leave for a summer art intensive, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. How is Jade supposed to focus on herself right now?

But at the Art Farm, Jade has artistic opportunities she’s been waiting for her whole life. And as she gets to know her classmates, she begins to fall for whimsical, upbeat, comfortable-in-her-own-skin Mary. Jade pours herself into making ceramic monsters that vent her stress and insecurities, but when she puts her creatures in the kiln, something unreal happens: they come to life. And they’re taking a stand: if Jade won’t confront her problems, her problems are going to confront her, including the scariest of them all—if Jade grows, prospers, and even falls in love this summer, is she leaving Phoebe behind?

 

Slip is Jade’s story (Jade is a ceramicist and artist who is struggling to find meaning in her work and herself), but it’s also Phoebe’s story. Phoebe is Jade’s best friend, and she attempted suicide right before Jade went off to art camp. At art camp, Jade can’t escape thoughts of Phoebe, wondering WHY and wishing she could be with Phoebe, even as camp challenges her to be at her best artistically, and to stretch her wings in new and interesting ways. When Jade’s pottery starts taking on a life of its own (and I mean that literally & magically), she must finally confront some thoughts and feelings that have been running amok inside her.

 

Jade’s story in Slip covers one month – an important moment in time, and one of intense learning – but still only a month. The reader doesn’t get too much back story, nor too much of a sense of what will happen after art camp ends, but that’s okay. In that short time, we see Jade not only create and think about art, but process grief and relationship loss/change, redefine her identity, discover new love, and play with ideas and sources of inspiration. It’s a lot to pack into one story, but McCoola and Pandya work some magical alchemy to make it happen – the result is an ode to art as therapy and art as a reflection of reality. My favorite scenes were the ones of Jade working alongside fellow creatives, those talented and motivated campers and mentors: folks with big goals. Their questions and actions spurred her on to greater heights and insights.

 

Throughout most of the book, Jade’s friends and mentors are asking her: what is the concept behind your work? What is the thing that holds you (or your art!) together? While Jade wrestles with these questions, the book does an excellent job of showing what a mess our internal selves can be when we experience trauma or are trying to come to grips with hard changes. I can’t get over how accurate some of the illustrations felt: a jumble of words competing inside Jade’s head but never making it outside her mouth, memories revisited over and over, a friend’s words haunting you in very specific ways. Slip is full of gentle ways of thinking about, talking about, and feeling hard things – I don’t know when I have ever felt so cared for by a story at the end – and I love that.

 

It’s not perfect (for instance, I’d like more of an explanation of the pottery that comes to life, and what that means about Jade’s own mental state), but overall Slip is a lovely mediation on art-making, processing trauma, coming of age and creating an identity all on your own for the first time.

 

Let’s talk about the art! The most noticeable thing is that Slip is illustrated in a limited color palette – most pages are in a dark blue gray with gradients, and there are occasional splashes of that vibrant coral pink from the front cover. Pink seems to herald strong emotions, change, and magic, and the pops of pink startle the reader into a new frame of mind. The linework is well-defined, without being too delicate or precious – it works for the medium and the story. In a book with a limited color palette, the details matter a lot, and Pandya has those locked down. I got an excellent feel for the process of pottery throwing and firing – even in a limited time frame – through Pandya’s artistic renditions.

 

In all, Slip is a lovely thing: a graphic novel that tackles art and identity in complex and gentle ways.

 

Recommended for: fans of Kat Leyh’s Snapdragon and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, and anyone interested in sensitive, quiet young adult fiction and expanding their graphic novel collections.

hortense and the shadow

For as long as I can remember I’ve been an admirer of things whimsical and/or strange, especially when it comes to books and art. When I saw the cover for sisters Natalia and Lauren O’Hara’s picture book collaboration Hortense and the Shadow, I thought, “That looks like my kind of book.” And when I read it all these months later, I realized I was right! Love when that happens.

A haunting, original fairy tale from two dazzling debut picture book talents, in the spirit of Neil Gaiman and Carson Ellis.

Hortense is a kind and brave girl, but she is sad–even angry–that her shadow follows her everywhere she goes. She hates her shadow, and thinks her shadow must hate her too. But one cold, dark night, when bandits surprise her in the woods, Hortense discovers that her shadow is the very thing she needs most.

This stunningly illustrated story stirs the soul with its compelling, subtle exploration of self-esteem, self-identity, and finding inner strength.

Hortense lives in a large house deep in the snowy woods, but she’s sad because she hates her shadow. It follows her everywhere! One day, she becomes so upset that she cuts her shadow off. Then! Well, then she sings with happiness. Until… something terrible arrives in the night. Hortense learns that her shadow, like her sometimes sad, mad, and wild feelings, is another part of herself.

Hortense and the Shadow is a wintry sort of book, with a bit of a contrary personality. Hortense herself is a singular, stubborn figure: she’s kind and brave, and at the same time deeply unhappy with a part of herself. There are sinister forces at work, as well as magical. Hortense acts – in what adults might label a foolish way. Overall the book is a bit odd, a lot creative, with a dash of menace mixed in (like a proper fairy tale).

While the prose is lovely (“sad as an owl” is my favorite new simile), the art is, hands down, the best part of this book. The cover has rose gold foil detailing on the dust jacket and the boards themselves are a light peach. Inside, Lauren O’Hara has created beautiful, muted watercolor illustrations full of Eastern European-style buildings, gingerbread-like detailing, and woodland creatures. Eagle-eyed readers will also notice menacing men hiding in margins, adding to the juxtaposition of beauty and darkness throughout.

All in all, Hortense and the Shadow a delightfully dark fairy tale of a book in a charming package.

Recommended for: fans of fairy tales – all ages, anyone who has enjoyed Bethan Woollvin’s picture books, and those looking for magical stories no matter the time of year.

special delivery

The days of sending physical letters in the mail are almost done (if not gone already), but I still wax nostalgic for “real mail.” It might have something to do with all of those international pen pals I kept in touch with as a preteen, and definitely has something to do with The Jolly Postman, still one of my favorite picture books ever. When I saw a picture book with a postage stamp cover, I had to take a look. I could keep Philip C. Stead’s Special Delivery on my coffee table forever, if only for Matthew Cordell’s fantastic illustrations.

Sadie is on her way to deliver an elephant to her Great-Aunt Josephine, who lives completely alone and can really use the company. She tries everything from mailing the elephant to boarding a plane, a train, and an alligator to get to her aunt's home. Along the way she meets an array of interesting characters, including an odd postal worker and a gang of bandit monkeys, who all help her get where she is going. This eccentric and hilarious story from Philip C. Stead, the author of the Caldecott-winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee and illustrator Matthew Cordell will surprise and entertain from beginning to end.

Sadie is determined to send her Great-Aunt Josephine an elephant, to alleviate her loneliness (of course! what a thoughtful grand-niece…). She first tries to send the elephant by post, but the amount of stamps needed more than fill a wheelbarrow – that won’t work! Sadie soon takes matters into her own (creative) hands, and she and the elephant travel far and wide by plane, train and ice cream truck, meeting many interesting creatures and characters along the way. 

In Special Delivery, Stead has created an outlandish adventure that will appeal to animal lovers and travelers alike. The narrative is a bit disjointed in parts, as Sadie and her elephant jump from one unlikely scenario to another. Some transitions and conversations are left to the imagination. That said, Stead’s story tickles the imagination, and will likely prompt the telling of other tall tales among its readers.  It’s inspirational like that.

The real star of this book? Matthew Cordell’s illustrations. They have a deliciously old-fashioned feel, in a style that reminded me of Bill Peet.  Sadie is the main (human) character, but I found myself looking at the animals on each page first – their expressions as they have these unusual adventures are hilarious and spot-on. Other fun details in the art: Words made out of train smoke, stamps upon stamps, and the unexpected reunion scene at the end, when the reader finally learns the “real” story.

Special Delivery does what the best picture books do so well: it inspires imagination and creativity, while telling a silly story that will spark questions and laughter. It may not have been my exact cup of tea, but it’s sure to become the favorite book of many children this year.

Recommended for: young readers, and parents/teachers/interested adults looking for books that will speak to an adventurous spirit.

Fine print: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for review consideration.  I did not receive any compensation for this post.

gingerbread for liberty!

Gingerbread for Liberty! has the word gingerbread in the title. I'll admit, that's all it took for me to click over to my local library webpage and place a hold. I love food (like a lot of you do, I imagine). I love books only slightly less than food (and some days it's pretty even in the running). A book that combines food AND art AND history is just extra icing on the gingerbread. Lucky me (and you), this one met my (admittedly high) expectations.

Christopher Ludwick was a German-born American patriot with a big heart and a talent for baking. When cries of “Revolution!” began, Christopher was determined to help General George Washington and his hungry troops. Not with muskets or cannons, but with gingerbread!  Cheerfully told by Mara Rockliff and brought to life by Vincent Kirsch’s inventive cut-paper illustrations, Gingerbread for Liberty! is the story of an unsung hero of the Revolutionary War who changed the course of history one loaf at a time.

Gingerbread for Liberty!: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution is a picture book that delves into the history of German-American baker Christopher Ludwick, who lived in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War period. This little-known character was famous for baking gingerbread for the city, volunteering to help feed Washington's army, and he rounded it out by going on special night missions to convince German troops to switch sides and fight for an independent American nation.

While Rockliff does a good job with the story and history, the best part by far is Vincent X. Kirsch’s art and overall book design. The interior art is made up of layered paper cut outs in primary colors, with white edging that mimics traditional gingerbread decoration. The font matches the unique style, though at times its placement is not always intuitive for the reader. The effect, once you take in a page spread or two, is charming and the tiniest bit old-fashioned, like the wooden lace scrollwork on an old Victorian house. It doesn't ever edge into cutesy, though, and the various cityscapes, ships, soldiers and exploits described throughout the book will appeal even to those who have no interest in gingerbread.

That's said, if you are interested in food + books like I am, this book is perfect. The endpapers contain a gingerbread recipe (presumably like the one Ludwick would have used), and I was sorely tempted to bake and decorate in shapes to match the book's many illustrations. I can see this book spawning family or classroom culinary adventures, especially around the Presidents' and Independence Day holidays.

In all, Gingerbread for Liberty! is a multi-interest picture book that expounds on a little-known figure in American history, with fantastic art and a baking hook.

Recommended for: parents and teachers looking for children's books that focus on history (with a lesson but without tedium), anyone who enjoys baking, and fans of paper crafts/art.

Interested in other food-related posts? Check out Beth Fish Reads' Weekend Cooking.

over and under the snow

My close friends are having children.  I've spread the word that I intend to contribute to (or manufacture out of whole cloth) the picture book libraries of these little ones.  I realize that my thoughts on the proper curation of picture book libraries = perfect blog material, but I haven't gotten myself 'together' enough on a Tuesday to do a themed post of Top 10 Books for a Baby's Library.  I have thoughts, though... oh! so many thoughts.  It will have to happen soon.  One of the books that would definitely make my list (for girls and boys) is Kate Messner’s nonfiction picture book, Over and Under the Snow.

Over the snow, the world is hushed and white.

But under the snow is a secret world of squirrels and snowshoe hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals who live through the winter, safe and warm under the snow.

A parent and child cross-country ski through on a winter's day, discussing the various animals that hibernate, burrow and survive winter in their unique snowy habitat.  While they travel along, some animals meet them above ground, while others stay hidden, under the snow.  The book's action is (ostensibly) carried along by an afternoon skiing trip, but the pages focus on the animals in the woods rather than the human travelers observing them.

This book is a beautiful, refreshing entry into the winter-themed picture book canon.  First off, it is really lovely: Christopher Silas Neal's mixed media artwork is fantastic, and brings the wintry, wooded landscape to life.  The contrast of colors and materials show the animals and their habitats in detail, and draw the eye to different parts of the page for each separate scene.  Whether the reader pays any attention to the text or not, he/she is sure to be engaged by the images, for they tell the story very well on their own.

And that's not to say that the text lacks anything!  It's got a great rhythm to it, with just the right mix of repetition, interest and action that the whole comes together into an ordinary/extraordinary adventure.  Add in thought-provoking facts about animal habits, and you have a book that is entertaining, educational, and all-around a work of art.  The mix of fantastic storytelling through art and text will keep the interest of readers of all ages.

Another (small) thing I appreciated about this book is that it references winter without any of the holiday touchstones which might throw kids for a loop.  My friends work in public schools with extremely diverse student populations, and for some of their students, Christmas, Hanukkah and other winter holidays are foreign concepts.  This book is about snow and animals.  The turn of seasons is universal (and unexceptionable)!

Recommended for: anyone looking for a new classic children's picture book to add to their collection, and fans of Ezra Jack Keats' The Snowy Day and Levi Pinfold's Black Dog.

iron hearted violet

When a book has a cover and title as beautiful as Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill, it is almost impossible to resist.  Add to that a story promising dragons, adventure and the end of the world, and the lure is impossible to resist.  This title has been on my wishlist ever since a Waiting on Wednesday post last June.  Middle Grade March seemed like the perfect time to finally read about the unusual princess Violet and the myth that changes her life.

The end of their world begins with a story.

This one.

In most fairy tales, princesses are beautiful, dragons are terrifying, and stories are harmless. This isn't most fairy tales. 

Princess Violet is plain, reckless, and quite possibly too clever for her own good. Particularly when it comes to telling stories. One day she and her best friend, Demetrius, stumble upon a hidden room and find a peculiar book. A forbidden book. It tells a story of an evil being—called the Nybbas—imprisoned in their world. The story cannot be true—not really. But then the whispers start. Violet and Demetrius, along with an ancient, scarred dragon, may hold the key to the Nybbas's triumph…or its demise. It all depends on how they tell the story. After all, stories make their own rules.

Iron Hearted Violet is a story of a princess unlike any other. It is a story of the last dragon in existence, deathly afraid of its own reflection. Above all, it is a story about the power of stories, our belief in them, and how one enchanted tale changed the course of an entire kingdom.

Violet is (as I said) an unusual princess.  She is preternaturally intelligent, ugly, obsessed with stories, and has exactly one friend.  She (accompanied by that friend, Demetrius) has been exploring her father’s castle top-to-bottom since she was quite young, and over time has found several curious things.  One of those things is a myth or a legend – but it’s not just any sort of myth.  It’s a story with the power to change, to destroy, and to undo everything Violet knows.  It’s a good thing that Violet has help, for surviving this challenge is beyond her.  It requires a team of feisty characters blessed with courage and cleverness and love.

Iron Hearted Violet is an attempt to turn the fairy tale genre upside down, and in some ways it succeeds marvelously.  There are hints of familiar tales throughout, but Violet herself is never the typical princess (she reminded me a bit of a mash-up of Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series, to be honest).  Violet deals with expectations and traditions in a believable way, while making her own decisions and learning to bravely face the consequences in order to set things right. 

There’s never a sense of safety in this story – it examines loss, deception, obsession, and the danger in believing that you know what is best for everyone else.  In addition, the mythology of the mirrored world is original and well-developed.  I also appreciated the beautiful illustrations by Iacopo Bruno.  As his artwork was what brought me to the story to begin with, I was happy to see sketches throughout that added to the story’s quality.

Having said all of that, Iron Hearted Violet landed flat.  I hoped it would have charm akin to Valente’s Fairyland books or Joanne Harris’ Runemarks, but in that I was disappointed.  The book suffered from a stilted point of view perspective (the tale is narrated by the adult castle storyteller), an over-long story (tightening the plot wouldn’t have gone amiss), and a deficiency of character development in anyone except Violet (especially noticeable in regards to Demetrius and the dragon).  In sum, while Iron Hearted Violet was delightful in flashes, the overall effect was leaden and ponderous.

Recommended for: fans of Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart and Mike Wilks’ Mirrorscape, those who like adventures featuring the end of the world, and anyone with a penchant for stories within stories and unique mythology.

a natural history of dragons

I’m so glad dragons are making a resurgence in fantasy.  I know they never ‘left,’ per se, but I grew up on the tales of Wrede, McCaffrey, and Yolen, and it is a wonderful to see books like Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina taking home awards for writing.  Of course, young adult doesn’t have a corner on the dragon market, and there have been many wonderful dragon stories in adult fantasy as well.  I’ve just read one of them, and I’m happy to report that it was unique and spell-binding.  Marie Brennan’s A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent is a fabulous tale.

You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon’s presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one’s life—is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten... 

All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day. 

Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever. 

Marie Brennan introduces an enchanting new world in A Natural History of Dragons.

A Natural History of Dragons is written in the style of a memoir, one by a famous dragon naturalist, Isabella, Lady Trent.  ‘She’ writes from the perspective of a scientist at the end of a long career.  As she examines the youthful interests and experiences that sparked her interest in dragonkind, she also muses on life, love, society, politics, and the progress of technology over time.  In so doing, she shows herself to be a keen observer, a passionate devotee of natural history, and an eccentric who cannot resist the pull of scientific study.

This book, the first in a planned series, follows Isabella from her childhood in the country through her adolescence and on her first expedition.  As is the case with memoirs, it is told entirely through the lens of Isabella’s experience, but it does not suffer from this focus.  Isabella gradually progresses from studying sparklings (insect-sized dragon cousins) to admiring living dragons, to finally joining an expedition to study them in their natural habitat.   The story is also full of hijinks from Isabella’s younger years, falling in love, and coming of age. The common thread through all of this (of course!) is a passion for dragons.  Dragons are the be-all and end-all of Isabella’s existence. 

I found A Natural History of Dragons fascinating, uncommon, and full of unexpected bits of alternate world society trivia and twists of fate.  I felt as if I was reading nonfiction, albeit exceptionally interesting nonfiction (a la Into Thin Air), with the added bonus of fantasy elements and gorgeous illustration.  Todd Lockwood’s art is certainly one of the highlights of the reading experience – just look at this drawing!

art by Todd Lockwood

Beware: these aren’t the awesome but basically tame dragons of lore.  They’re wild beasts that belong to an unfamiliar world, and they will strike close to the heart if provoked.  At the end of the volume I found myself wide-eyed and longing for the next installment in Lady Trent’s adventures.

Recommended for: fans of dragons (all kinds), those who enjoy books that pay homage to the manners and mores of Regency/Victorian England (i.e. Georgette Heyer, Mary Robinette Kowal’s Shades of Milk and Honey), and anyone who has caught themselves wondering about the anatomy and physiology of mythological creatures.

Check back tomorrow for a blog tour stop with an interview with the author (and GIVEAWAY!).

Fine print: I received an e-ARC of this book for honest review from Tor.

i turned my favorite picture book into wall art

I am not a book destroyer.  No, really.  I’ve never torn a page out of a book before this week.  I’ve never even knowingly bent the edges down.  I try not to break the spines of books (i have failed in some cases, but usually only with titles i’ve reread 10+ times).  I see those (admittedly lovely) book sculptures and my soul shrivels a little because someone has DEFACED a book.  And yet.  I killed a book this week.  I killed a book I love.  And I’m not sorry.

Obren Bokich’s A Christmas Card for Mr. McFizz was published in 1987, just before I turned four years old, and I received it that year as a gift from my grandmother.  I don’t remember the actual gifting.  What I do remember is being fascinated by Dan Lane’s illustrations, entranced  by the story (it’s odd, endearing, and rather grown-up), and demanding rereads from my parents until I could read the words myself.  It’s the one picture book I told my mother not to donate when she went on a bookshelf cleansing rampage while I was in my teens.

I’m not sure what happened to that original book, but in college realized I didn’t know exactly where Mr. McFizz was and I ordered myself a replacement copy on the interwebs.  The title has been out of print for years, but luckily there wasn’t a problem finding a reasonably priced copy.

Fast forward to one month ago.  I was trying to figure out what to do with an enormous white wall in the living room.  I had IKEA frames and saved posters from several years of the National Book Festival, but I needed something else.  Enter Mr. McFizz.  I went back to the worldwide web and ordered the cheapest used copy I could find (a reject from the San Diego County Library, it turns out).  Then I did it – I cut up my favorite picture book. 

And put it in cute frames and hung it on my wall. And I smile every single time I look in that direction.

It was a good decision.  Tell me: would you cut up a picture book for wall art? Which one? 

graffiti moon

Brooklyn – I’m there/here.  I’m in New York for Book Expo America (all the madness starts tomorrow with BEA Bloggers), and staying with my cousins in a lovely part of Clinton Hill.  We’ve been going to fun places to eat at night and randomly dropping in to open art studios and truck festivals because they’re happening just down the street.  Last night outside one of the studios an artist was doing a huge mural on a fence – a graffiti mural.  And I couldn’t help myself – I thought ‘how perfect! I’m reading about Australian teenagers with art obsessions, and I happen across graffiti happening in real life half a world away.’  The world is funny sometimes and the coincidence burns bright in my mind.

That book I read (finished it just now, actually) was Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley.  It’s a story of one night – one evening’s epic quest and the beauty of letting an adventure move your world.

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.

Graffiti Moon is narrated in two voices by Ed and Lucy (with various contributions by Poet), two kids with wildly different paths and pasts that are about to collide, connect and possibly shatter.  But more than being about the lives of two teens, this book is about art and finding out the truth, about second chances and unconventional choices.  It’s about forgiving yourself and finding a way (and maybe, love. the real kind.).

Ed is in stasis when we meet him – he’s dropped out of school, lost his dead-end job, and broken up with his girl friend.  He’s about to take a bad turn – because the world feels like it’s gray and he’s trapped.  Lucy is on the edge of a new life, but she can’t help worrying about her parents, her friends, and obsessively searching for the graffiti artist she admires, Shadow.  When she’s saddled with former crush Ed for a night, she is not pleased.  The unexpected adventure that results is a little bit heart-breaking, compulsively readable, and written so that you feel beauty and truth and adrenaline running free in your veins.

This bit is from page 176, to show you a bit of Ed and humor and the tension of this crazy night they’re having:

She moves close and holds my hand, and I go from scared to mad.  Because I’ve been wanting her to do that all night, and it’d be perfect if we weren’t surrounded by a psychopath and his gang of psychets. 

Recommended for: fans of Markus Zusak’s I Am the Messenger, the romantic, the realist, the artist, the simple art enthusiast, and anyone who appreciates painfully beautiful words that may steal away a reader’s heart.

headed west

[art from poppyandpinecone's etsy shop]

I'm going home to the Seattle area today. One week of awesome with the family, coming right up!

get brave and swim in the ocean

That’s what I tell myself – this is BRAVE, and not completely foolhardy. I’ve swum across a lake before (YEARS ago, before I developed sense and/or fear), but have never attempted any distance at all in the mighty ocean. My friend Lauren and I are doing a one-mile ocean swim race tomorrow morning. In the Atlantic.

[art from katep’s etsy shop]

If I survive, I will be back next week with another contest and book reviews. Wish me luck!

happy weekend

May you all have lovely weekends (and adventures). [print art found at TheExtentofSilence on Etsy]

i just want to cuddle up

It’s fall again, and I LOVE it. We’ve had rain and cool weather, and it makes me want to find a fleece-lined nest, cuddle up with hot apple cider and watch the leaves turn different colors. What’s your favorite autumn activity?

[image found at dogbatcat etsy shop]

hold on, mr. squirrel

I’ve lived in DC for almost 8 months, and I’ve just started to settle in. Translation: I’ve finally begun to put things on the walls in my room. I’m using art prints because I don’t have a lot of snapshots, and many of my things didn’t make this last move with me.

[via hushmouse]

I bought this print on Etsy. My roommates think I’m crazy, and have effectively banned me from redecorating the rest of the apartment. I consider it whimsical. Plus, it reminds me of Seattle. What do you think?