bloom

A biography of Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli by one of our favorite author/illustrator teams.  As a child, from the very start, Elsa is expected to conform to conventional, canonical ideals of beauty.  But as she gets older, her views of beauty become more expansive and she realizes that “ideas are everywhere.”  She finds inspiration in her environment and everything around her.  Her vision as an artist grows from there.  Her love for fashion design is sparked at the age of twenty-two on a brief trip to Paris.  Kyo Maclear’s beautiful words and Julie Morstad’s gorgeous art tell the story of this forward-thinking artist.  Julie Morstad’s palette is all at once dreamy, modern and unexpected.  Kyo’s narrative is smart, sharp and above all, breathes life and inspiration into its readers, young and old.  Don’t miss this one!

Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli was written by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Julie Morstad and published by HarperCollins in the US and Tundra Books in Canada.  Out very soon on February 6.

The Word Collector

Jerome has an affinity for words.  He collects them and cherishes them—all sorts.  Short and sweet words, medium-sized words, mellifluous multisyllabic words.  He revels in their idiosyncrasies.  He’s a kind of word maven.  One thing he learned over time—“some of his simplest words were his most powerful.” He also realized that he found the most happiness when he shared his most valued possessions.  In Jerome’s words, this story and its art are “blissful” and “effervescent.” And we’re savoring each and every carefully selected word on its pages.

The Word Collector was written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds and published by Orchard Books.

Petra

Petra considers herself the solid, immovable type.  She’s pretty sure she’s a mountain, until she gets thrown into a bird’s nest.  It’s not the last place she’ll end up, but her ever optimistic nature sees the bright side of every situation.  Charming illustrations and a clever, fresh take on an old adage.

Petra was written and illustrated by Marianna Coppo and published by Tundra Books.  It'll be out soon on February 6!

The Digger and the Flower

While hard at work constructing buildings with his crew, a digger finds something in the rubble that gives him pause.  A tiny and beautiful flower.  He starts to care for it every day, and sings it a bedtime song just before switching off for the night.  One day, an abrupt event changes the digger’s life and when the sadness clears, he takes meaningful action.  Joseph Kuefler’s simple forms, patterns and minimal use of color create a poignant and impactful setting for this beautiful narrative and message.

The Digger and the Flower was written and illustrated by Joseph Kuefler and published by Balzer + Bray.

Irelandopedia

It all started 20 years ago when John Burke would take cycling trips through Ireland and discover its many curiosities, beauties and oddities.  Many years and trips with his children later, Irelandopedia was born—a visual encyclopedia about the 32 counties of Ireland and their geography, history, culture, famous personalities, landmarks, plants and animals, illustrated by his daughter Fatti Burke.  We loved learning words in Foclóir, reading about the ten wonders of Ireland, Irish gastronomy, pastimes, holidays and traditions such as madcap swims and drinking flat 7 up.  So much to learn and appreciate on this special journey around the little green island of Ireland.

Irelandopedia: A Compendium of Maps, Facts and Knowledge was written by John Burke, illustrated by Fatti Burke and published by Gill & Macmillan.