Cover Image

Virginia Wolf

by Maclear, Kyo, 1970-

Format: Print Book 2012
Availability: Available at 8 Libraries 8 of 8 copies

Available (8)
Location Collection Call #
CLP - Main Library First Floor Children's Department - Picture Books qj FICTION Maclear
Location  CLP - Main Library
 
Collection  First Floor Children's Department - Picture Books
 
Call Number  qj FICTION Maclear
 
 
CLP - Squirrel Hill Children's Picture Books qj FICTION Maclear
Location  CLP - Squirrel Hill
 
Collection  Children's Picture Books
 
Call Number  qj FICTION Maclear
 
 
Crafton Public Library Juvenile - Picture Books PICT F MACLEAR 2012 CRAFTON 5/12
Location  Crafton Public Library
 
Collection  Juvenile - Picture Books
 
Call Number  PICT F MACLEAR 2012 CRAFTON 5/12
 
 
Green Tree Public Library Children's Easy E LOV MAC
Location  Green Tree Public Library
 
Collection  Children's Easy
 
Call Number  E LOV MAC
 
 
Mt. Lebanon Public Library Children's Picture Books j Ea MACLEAR Kyo
Location  Mt. Lebanon Public Library
 
Collection  Children's Picture Books
 
Call Number  j Ea MACLEAR Kyo
 
 
Northland Public Library Children's Picture Books J PIC MACLEAR
Location  Northland Public Library
 
Collection  Children's Picture Books
 
Call Number  J PIC MACLEAR
 
 
Shaler North Hills Library Juvenile Picture Book j PICT BK MACLEAR
Location  Shaler North Hills Library
 
Collection  Juvenile Picture Book
 
Call Number  j PICT BK MACLEAR
 
 
Wilkinsburg Public Library Picture Books E MAC ARTS
Location  Wilkinsburg Public Library
 
Collection  Picture Books
 
Call Number  E MAC ARTS
 
 

Summary
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.
Published Reviews
Booklist Review: "Young Virginia has awoken feeling wolfish, and she looks the part, too. No manner of comforting by her sister, Vanessa, can snap her out of it. The whole house sank. / Up became down. / Bright became dim. / Glad became gloom. Eventually, Virginia offers that she might be happy in a perfect place with frosted cakes and beautiful flowers and excellent trees to climb. So Vanessa sets to work creating the fantastical wonderland herself, painting colorful, bucolic scenes filled with candy flowers, turquoise birds, and more. Right in step with Maclear's elegant, affecting text, Arsenault's fetching mixed-media illustrations have a sophisticated yet homespun feel, featuring smudgy black silhouettes, expressive hand-lettered text, and plenty of sly visual detail. The story is inspired by real-life sisters Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell, and though the little girl's doldrums do have a gravity that evinces the story's source material, the book is ultimately a feel-good celebration of the power of the imagination and art to create perfect places in the world when none can be found.--McKulski, Kristen Copyright 2010 Booklist"
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Publisher's Weekly Review: "It's not often that a writer-illustrator team conceives a second work so much more ambitious and complex than the first (in this case, 2010's Spork), and rarer still to execute it so well. In an invented episode from Virginia Woolf's depression-beset youth, young Vanessa Bell narrates the story of one of her sister's bad spells, punning on Woolf's adult surname: "She made wolf sounds and did strange things." Virginia's rages disrupt the entire household ("Up became down. Bright became dim") until Virginia expresses a wish to fly to "a perfect place.... with frosted cakes and beautiful flowers." "Where is that?" Vanessa asks. "Bloomsberry, of course," Virginia answers. As Virginia sleeps, Vanessa paints "Bloomsberry" for her sister on endless sheets of drawing paper, remaking the world for her. Arsenault conveys the transformation by moving suddenly from b&w silhouettes to a swirling, multicolored fantasy of swings, cupcakes, and gigantic flowers. Some readers may be shaken by Virginia's ferocity-it's hard to soften madness-but Vanessa's act of love is recounted with grace and sensitivity in this remarkable collaboration. Ages 4-8. Agent: Jackie Kaiser, Westwood Creative Artists. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved."
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Additional Information
Subjects Sisters -- Juvenile fiction.
Mood (Psychology) -- Juvenile fiction.
Sisters -- Fiction.
Mood -- Fiction.
Publisher Toronto, ON ; Tonawanda, NY :Kids Can Press,2012
Contributors Arsenault, Isabelle, 1978-
Language English
Description 1 volume (unpaged) : illustrations (some color) ; 30 cm
ISBN 9781554536498
1554536499
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