A Girl That Bloomed - NFPB Wednesday

art by Sarah S. Brannen

         Visit Alyson Beecher on Wednesdays for Non-Fiction Picture Books at Kidlit Frenzy.  From her and others, you will discover and want to celebrate terrific nonfiction picture books!  

             The life of Elsa Schiaparelli, sad in the beginning and delightful as she matures, celebrates her creative spirit, is beautifully told in first person by Kyo Maclear, with Julie Morstad illustrating using some of Schiaparelli’s own extraordinary fashion firsts. The illustrations blend with Schiaparelli’s designs, fill pages with stunning images of flowers and other images. Be sure to see the pages where Elsa’s face shows up in the blooms. She is blooming!

          Elsa, through Maclear’s words, shares part of her childhood, when parents were disappointed that they had another girl, didn’t even have a name, so hers was borrowed from the nurse. They called her older sister “bella”  but her name was “brutta”. No matter, Elsa delighted in the flowers of her city, came home and tried to plant seeds in her nose and ears, thinking she would become beautiful with flowers covering her face. It was not a great idea to do this, but after help from a doctor, she continued using her wild imagination. She declares: "I am an explorer, a circus performer, and even the night sky. Dress up. Pretend. Make believe. The world feels brighter." 

           Elsa's words toward the end of the story show what she came to know: “Beauty itself blooms to reveal the irregular, the smart, tough, goofy, surreal, and wild.” 

            There is extra information in the backmatter with further sources. I enjoyed learning about this famous fashion icon.