A Holiday for Hats... and Fashion!

 Am I alone in recalling all the words to this old song... 

IN YOUR EASTER BONNET, 

WITH ALL THER FRILLS UPON IT, 

YOU'LL BE THE GRANDEST LADY

AT THE EASTER PARADE...

Easter parade? What's that all about? Click to see, if it sounds bewildering to you!

CUENTO de LUZ, 2016
Translation from original Spanish

This not-new fiction picture book felt like an ideal one to review on Easter Sunday. THE MAGIC HAT SHOP is written and illustrated by Sonja Wimmer. The cover suggests the MAGIC in its magical realism. Opening end papers focus on the REAL in this genre. Designs for various head coverings for men and women, rendered in graphics, sketches, and advertising styles, parade neatly across those opening pages. These appear to be the very fashionable offerings of a hat shop, nothing magic about them.

Since this is an author/illustrator creation, I need to emphasize the illustrations first. They, too, extend vividly recognizable objects and characters with exaggerated features or details. The small village seems like many other in picture books, and yet the landscape for this town, the nearby hillsides,  train tracks, and even the observant reader and cat are positioned on domes and rims of hats. Colors are sherbet-toned, both luminous and shadowed, with delicate features  and fingers in contrast with billowing bodies. It takes one look to realize that here we are going to confront lively fun and fantasy alongside seriously intense reality. 

And we are not wrong.

A rolling hat shop sets the stage for change, with a sort of "seer" sales person who can provide exactly the hat needed to bring out the best in the citizens. To avoid a spoiler, I'll just say that another sudden change disrupts the transformed townspeople, who are faced with resuming their former scowling approach to life. The closing end papers take just enough liberty with reality and hats to remind readers that both realism and intentional imagining can work together to generate everyday magic. Please read it, then don your own best-choice hat, figurative or real, and take yourselves out into the world. On Easter and every day.

PHAIDON BOOKS, 2025

Easter (and Spring!) also set the stage for fashionistas among us. That's why GET DRESSED! A HISTORICAL GUESSING GASME FOR FASHION LOVERS deserves our attention. It is nonfiction, utterly real, and undoubtedly new! In this case the magic is in the appeal of century-spanning spreads, challenging guessing games, and appealing nuggets of information about cultures, climates, changes, and communities across the globe. Written by KATY CANALES and illustrated  by ERIN VANESSA, this book is as beautiful as its subjects.

The quality of the physical book holds even more appeal, oversized and sturdy. It allows casual readers to share it on laps, while intense fashion fans can sprawl on elbows to examine details and even trace or copy or modify aspects of clothing (including hats!) from across time and space. 

Young fashion fans among my family and friends love to examine latest styles, to experiment, to express themselves in unique ways. But this picture book also challenges them to see patterns of purpose and progress, to consider production and materials (and waste), and imagine ways in which designs of the future can be both creative and constructive. Adults will find as much to discover in this as younger readers will, and it could easily find return readers in homes, classrooms, and libraries.

Enjoy your Sunday pursuits in whatever clothing and/or hats that you choose. Then begin your week with a peek at these two titles. And let me know what you think in the comments!

WILLA the Werewolf: A Fairy Tale Twist!

 This very early chapter book is one of a series of MODERN FAIRY TALE TWISTS from Little Press Publishing.

The Little Press, 2023

WILLA THE WEREWOLF is written by Michele Mcavoy and illustrated by Jan Dolby. It's a gentle bridge between a picture book and a single independent-reading book for young learners. In format it offers 16 "chapters", each only a page or two, with illustrations. The total is 64 pages and the small format keeps it in very readable range for this audience. 

In this thoroughly twisted, contemporary take-off on the THREE LITTLE PIGS and the Big Bad Wolf, Willa is the delightfully talented and ambitious little pig who just happens to transform into a werewolf at midnight each night. She is self-aware and finds the magical properties and super powers of that nightly adventure to be a prefect vehicle for traveling the fashion centers of the world, finding inspiration for her unique and original designs. 

In fact, her reputation spreads and she is offered the opportunity of her young life- to enter a design contest for the remarkable singing group, the PIGLET TRIPLET. After preparing and arranging for her final judging night, one delay leads to another and Willa's transformed identity comes to light, terrifying her parents, the trio, and the entire village. You can just imagine, can't you? Maybe not, but the humor and resolution will satisfy young readers. Those  who are looking for a unique new character, some high adventure, and a lively reading experience will enjoy Willa the Werewolf.

I can't say often enough that traditional fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and other iconic literature need to remain in the lives of even the most digital-contemporary of kids, and this is fun way to do so. Share and compare various original versions of the three pigs with modern twists. What's more, Willa's design interests and globetrotting adventures are very powerful encouragements for young  readers with such dreams. 

More Wonderful CYBILS AWARDS Nonfiction Titles- Biographies and Profiles

One of the greatest challenges of serving as a Round One panelist for Cybils Awards is that there are SO MANY terrific titles with SO FEW slots available to list as finalists. Balancing that struggle is the blessing of being able to read quite a few wonderful titles that I somehow missed in the course of the publishing year. As public bloggers/reviewers, we panelists have the lovely bonus of using our platforms to feature and celebrate favorite titles whether they made the finalist cut or not, and without a deadline! This post is the first of several that will offer you short features about some I especially enjoyed, and believe you will, too. This post focuses on picture books that are biographies or profiles of women, ones you may or may not already THINK you know.

Little Bigfoot, 2022

First up is  LIBRARY GIRL:How Nancy Pearl Became America's Most Celebrated Librarian, written by Karen Henry Clark and illustrated by Sheryl Murray. Here's what I had to say about it on my Goodreads account.

"Adults who read (sadly, some don't) will certainly recognize the name of Nancy Pearl, perhaps the best known librarian in America. This is a genuinely touching account of how her early years were somewhat unhappy, how she came to feel at home and supported within her library. It is effective and interesting to be able to imagine her as a tentative and "out of place" child who grew to not only find a career, but find herself and her confidence within that career!"

Clarion Books, 2022

A PERFECT FIT: How Lena Bryant Changed the Shape of Fashion is next, written by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by the amazing Juana Martinez- Neal. My notes about this fantastic offering (which DID make the finalist list in the elementary category) is here:

"Crisp and  entertaining text combine with illustrator Martinez-Neal's trademark fluidity and grace to develop a portrait of a determined, creative, talented woman who never forgot her father's message- to make the world a better place for others. Her tools were her scissors, sewing machine, fabrics and ribbons, all used in service of making women of any size or shape feel wonderful in their clothing. 

Who knew that the iconic "Lane Bryant" clothing line had such an inspiring background? I certainly didn't, and I am grateful to have learned it in such an appealing format. I look forward to sharing this with readers of many ages, including older ones who envision a career in design. 

Lena's father's advice will serve them well in their careers."

Beachlane Books, 2022

And here's another title that provides an introduction to a young woman whose decisions and life choices merit our attention, It is also a story with "hooks" related to sports, fashion, gender restrictions, overcoming disabling health challenges, and more. Here are my Goodreads comments on ANNETTE FEELS FREE: The True Story of Annette Kellerman, World-Class Swimmer, Fashion Pioneer, and Real-Life Mermaid, written/illustrated by Katie Mazieka. 

"This seemingly simple picture book bio of a record-breaking female swimmer from Australia is far more than that. Australia's Annette Kellerman lived her youngest years as a lively, exuberant girl whose love of ballet and performance led to dreams of a stage life. When an unknown paralyzing infection left her with weakened legs and wearing braces that imprisoned her dreams, her spirit faded. Her father's brilliant idea to help her learn to swim restored Annette's freedom, leading eventually to a fully restored body and dreams she could never have imagined, with a watery stage on which to express herself and gain the acclaim she welcomed. 

I tagged this as a story in a story because her life was notable, too, (as the subtitle indicates) for breaking gender barriers beyond the athletic world. The fact that multiple heavy layers of clothing were demanded for women swimmers, (even in competition against MEN!), chafed at Annette's sense of justice and equity. She designed and created a modest, swimmable garment, but one that shocked society of that time. It took a ruling by the courts to allow her to wear it in competitions and later in general when swimming, but requirements were placed that she must be covered/robed on land, not dropping her coverings until stepping into the water. Her fashion pioneering led to other girls and women adopting the style and all eventually ignoring the demands for 'land" coverings.

Readers will find  joy, persistence, imagination, unbounded goal-setting, emotional arcs, and family strengths in this beautifully illustrated new picture book.

I highly recommend all three titles, and assure readers of any age that they will learn fascinating information about women with whom they may or may not have been acquainted before cracking the covers of these terrific picture books. Dive in, folks, and share them with others.