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.
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* "In the literary bounty of books about bad moods and bad days, this one goes deeper than most, poignantly showing literal and metaphorical glimpses of real depression. 'One day my sister Virginia woke up feeling wolfish. She made wolf sounds and did strange things,' begins narrator Vanessa. Huddled in bed, only pointy ears showing, is a wolf. Virginia's unable to bear the bright-yellow gingham of Vanessa's dress or the sound of Vanessa brushing her own teeth. This is potent misery: 'The whole house sank. Up became down. Bright became dim.' Vanessa creeps into bed to comfort her sister, but what finally helps is painting. At the wolf's suggestion, Vanessa paints a whimsical, expanding world called 'Bloomsberry,' bursting with blossoms, birds and magic. Arsenault reproduces the earlier 'Up became down' spread but inverts its position and hue: Now objects waft upwards and the mood is buoyant. The wolf -- previously a black near-silhouette with snout and tail, wearing a dress -- morphs back into a girl. Wolf ears, silhouetted from behind, become a hair bow. Ink, pencil and paint deftly divide color from black-and-white as emotional symbolism. Lettering is carefully handwritten. Knowledge of Virginia Woolf and her painter-sister Vanessa Bell is unnecessary; this works beautifully as a bad-day/bad-mood or animal-transformation tale, while readers who know actual depression will find it handled with tenderly forceful aplomb. (Picture book. 5-10)" --Kirkus (starred review)
* "Drawing inspiration from Virginia Woolf and her sister, Maclear tells the story of two siblings who share a strong bond and creative spirit despite their dissimilar personalities. ... It is the delicacy of the mixed-media illustrations (ink, pencil, watercolor, gouache) that tames the feral Virginia and gives real strength to the story. Parents will enjoy sharing this book with their sometimes 'wolfish' children." --School Library Journal (starred review)
"...an ambitious story about girlish blues, sisterly differences and the healing power of art. ...Isabelle Arsenault, who won a Times Best Illustrated award last year for her work on 'Migrant,' by Maxine Trottier, imaginatively and deliciously depicts a child's inner world." --New York Times
* "Drawing inspiration from Virginia Woolf and her sister, Maclear tells the story of two siblings who share a strong bond and creative spirit despite their dissimilar personalities. ... It is the delicacy of the mixed-media illustrations (ink, pencil, watercolor, gouache) that tames the feral Virginia and gives real strength to the story. Parents will enjoy sharing this book with their sometimes 'wolfish' children." --School Library Journal (starred review)
"...an ambitious story about girlish blues, sisterly differences and the healing power of art. ...Isabelle Arsenault, who won a Times Best Illustrated award last year for her work on 'Migrant,' by Maxine Trottier, imaginatively and deliciously depicts a child's inner world." --New York Times
About the Author
Kyo Maclear is an award-winning writer and novelist. Her first book for children, Spork, has received a number of honors, including a 2011 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award nomination. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.
Isabelle Arsenault has illustrated several children's books, including Spork, My Letter to the World and Other Poems and Mr. Gaugin's Heart. She has received many awards for her work, including the Governor General's Award for Illustration. She lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Isabelle Arsenault has illustrated several children's books, including Spork, My Letter to the World and Other Poems and Mr. Gaugin's Heart. She has received many awards for her work, including the Governor General's Award for Illustration. She lives in Montreal, Quebec.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
The spectacular duo behind 2010's Spork has created another must-buy picture book, Virginia Wolf.
Loosely based on sisters Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell, Virginia Wolf tells the tale of a little girl who tries everything she can to pull her sister out of the doldrums. Her gift is an imaginary world, Bloomsberry, painted on the walls, and it works to turn her sister from glum to glad.
This is a multi-layered book that will delight children and adults alike. The adorable characters, raw emotion, and contrasts will appeal to even the youngest child, and the parent reading it aloud will enjoy the references to Woolf's writing, the message about sibling relationships, and the marvelous use of language.
Isabelle Arsenault is a multi-award winning illustrator whose mixed media illustrations add an extra layer to Kyo Maclear's marvelous words. Her use of black and for the ill-tempered wolfish girl and her world contrasts well against the colors of the world when Virginia is happy again. Her art is as much a tribute to the talent of Vanessa Bell as Maclear's stunning language is a tribute to Virginia Woolf.
Highly recommended for any family with a child who has tantrums.
Loosely based on sisters Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell, Virginia Wolf tells the tale of a little girl who tries everything she can to pull her sister out of the doldrums. Her gift is an imaginary world, Bloomsberry, painted on the walls, and it works to turn her sister from glum to glad.
This is a multi-layered book that will delight children and adults alike. The adorable characters, raw emotion, and contrasts will appeal to even the youngest child, and the parent reading it aloud will enjoy the references to Woolf's writing, the message about sibling relationships, and the marvelous use of language.
Isabelle Arsenault is a multi-award winning illustrator whose mixed media illustrations add an extra layer to Kyo Maclear's marvelous words. Her use of black and for the ill-tempered wolfish girl and her world contrasts well against the colors of the world when Virginia is happy again. Her art is as much a tribute to the talent of Vanessa Bell as Maclear's stunning language is a tribute to Virginia Woolf.
Highly recommended for any family with a child who has tantrums.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By FIRR-Kids!
A clever play on words, this book is loosely based on the relationship between author Virginia Woolf and her sister, painter Vanessa Bell. But it is also about the foul moods that even the best-natured child can so easily slip into, where every little thing is an irritant and the whole world seems to be stacked against them.
One day Virginia wakes up feeling quite wolfish. She growls at her sisters and scares her friends away with her dark mood. She is annoyed by Vanessa's cheery yellow dress, the scritch of the toothbrush bristles against teeth, and even the chirping of the birds outdoors. In short, she is irritated by everyone and everything.
Vanessa desperately tries to cheer her, bringing her treats, the cat, her violin. Nothing. She finally climbs in bed beside her sister, two quiet, still lumps under the blanket. Virginia admits the only thing that might make her happy would be traveling to a perfect place full of beautiful flowers, excellent trees, and frosted cakes. They do not live in such an ethereal place, but Vanessa knows how to get there. She fetches her art box, and while her sister naps, Vanessa painstakingly creates an entire land filled with candy blossoms and frosted cakes. Virginia awakens in the land her sister has created, and feels her mood start to lift.
This book has gotten every little detail just right. Isabelle Arsenault's illustrations are so beautiful, from the framed bunny print in the girls' bedroom down to the alarm clock shattered underneath. The pages are a lovely, slightly thick card stock. The chosen font resembles pretty handwriting, with Vanessa's angry words in a much larger, uglier font - exactly how shouting should look. And a lovely message to boot - one that just might lift your own child's spirits when those wolfish feelings invade.
One day Virginia wakes up feeling quite wolfish. She growls at her sisters and scares her friends away with her dark mood. She is annoyed by Vanessa's cheery yellow dress, the scritch of the toothbrush bristles against teeth, and even the chirping of the birds outdoors. In short, she is irritated by everyone and everything.
Vanessa desperately tries to cheer her, bringing her treats, the cat, her violin. Nothing. She finally climbs in bed beside her sister, two quiet, still lumps under the blanket. Virginia admits the only thing that might make her happy would be traveling to a perfect place full of beautiful flowers, excellent trees, and frosted cakes. They do not live in such an ethereal place, but Vanessa knows how to get there. She fetches her art box, and while her sister naps, Vanessa painstakingly creates an entire land filled with candy blossoms and frosted cakes. Virginia awakens in the land her sister has created, and feels her mood start to lift.
This book has gotten every little detail just right. Isabelle Arsenault's illustrations are so beautiful, from the framed bunny print in the girls' bedroom down to the alarm clock shattered underneath. The pages are a lovely, slightly thick card stock. The chosen font resembles pretty handwriting, with Vanessa's angry words in a much larger, uglier font - exactly how shouting should look. And a lovely message to boot - one that just might lift your own child's spirits when those wolfish feelings invade.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
A friend of mine brought this book to my attention and I'm so glad she did! It is so wonderfully illustrated and I hope to see it win many awards. The author and publisher were so smart to trust the illustrator to make the book so special. It's just beautiful.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gorgeous illustrations & an inspirational tale
I absolutely adored Kyo Maclear's Virgina Wolf. Illustrated by the extremely talented Isabelle Arsenault, this is the story of sisters Virginia and Vanessa as battle Virginia's... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Sara
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sweet and clever
Great illustrations, great surprise ending. Nice book that acknowledges a bad mood which is nice for kids to read about. And literary which I like.
Published 3 months ago by Mary S. Edwards
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brimming with delight
As it is a story about sisters, I got this book for my nieces.
Such a great take on Virginia Woolf with beautiful illustrations.
Such a great take on Virginia Woolf with beautiful illustrations.
Published 4 months ago by Jessica
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beauty in the Darkness
I love this book! I first saw the illustrations and fell in love. I decided to buy the book just for that. Then I read it and was totally won over. Read more
Published 8 months ago by katka
5.0 out of 5 stars
Akin to "When Sophie Gets Angry"
On my blog "Teaching My Baby to Read", I wrote about wanting to find a book that introduced my children to the real Virginia Woolf. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Jennifer Bardsley
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