The Story of Madeleine L'Engle and
the Making of A Wrinkle in Time
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Farrar Straus Giroux
(pub. 10.4.2022) 40 pages
Authors: Charlotte Jones Voiklis
& Jennifer Adams
Illustrator: Adelina Lirius
Characters: Madeleine L'Engle
Overview:
" When Madeleine L'Engle was very small, she often found herself awake at night, marveling at the stars. They guided her throughout her life, making her feel part of a big and exciting world, even when she felt alone. They made her want to ask big questions―Why are we here? What is my place in the universe?―and let her imagination take flight. Books, too, were like stars―asking questions and proposing answers. Books kept Madeleine company, and soon, she began to write and share her own. But would other people see the wonder she found in the world?"
Tantalizing taste:
" In a place called the Painted Desert, with its strange shapes and colors and its big skies scattered with stars, Madeleine had an idea for a new kind of book. It was inspired by sonnets and science and her sense of belonging when she looked at the night sky and listened to the stars sing. She began to write, and by the time the family arrived in New York City, she had finished this new book.
At first, publishers rejected it. They said it would be too hard for children to understand and that no grown-up wanted to read a book where children are the heroes.
But they were wrong.
Children and grown-ups loved the book, A Wrinkle in Time."
And something more: I loved learning about this book's connection to the wonderful children's bookstore, Once Upon A Time. I had the pleasure to be hosted by the bookstore for an event during my book signing tour for DRESSING UP THE STARS - The Story of Costume Designer Edith Head last Fall. I so enjoyed meeting the dedicated and delightful owner, Maureen Palacios, and booksellers.
"Once Upon a Time, or How This Book Came To Be" explains that Charlotte Jones Voiklis (granddaughter of Madeleine L'Engle) and her sister, Lena Roy, first wrote a middle grade book, Becoming Madeleine. But Charlotte always wanted to write a picture book about Madeleine also. Charlotte visited Once Upon A Time in Glendale, California, on their book signing tour. She admired signed copies of Jennifer Adam's BabyLit series "for their elegance and simplicity, and she was struck by the thought that perhaps Jennifer... would be the perfect writer to help her with a picture book of her grandmother. She told the owner, Maureen Palacios, of her idea."
Fastforward... Jennifer visited Once Upon a time and admired the new Becoming Madeleine. Maureen told Jennifer about her conversation with Charlotte. And that was the beginning of this book! Serendipity! Yet another reason to love Once Upon A Time and all our indie bookstores where magic happens.
The Roots and Rise of
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Harper Collins
(pub.9.6.2022) 40 pages
Author: Anika Aldamuy Denise
Illustrator: Loris Lora
Character: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Overview:
" In 2019, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest congresswoman in America. How did this young Puertoriqueña become an unstoppable force in politics? Find out in this accessible and engaging book for young readers.
AOC’s remarkable story begins in her childhood Bronx home and comes full circle the moment AOC became America's youngest Congresswoman. Ocasio-Cortez’s empowering journey reminds us that everyone, regardless of their age, race, creed, wealth, or zip code, is capable of being a voice for change."
Tantalizing taste:
" When BNC called, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, cum laude college graduate, bartender, organizer, activist, proud Puerto Rican daughter from the Bronx ... said YES."
And something more: The back of the book includes this quote from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: "Justice is about making sure that being polite is not the same thing as being quiet. In fact, oftentimes, the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table."
Poet W.S. Merwin and the Palm Tree Forest
He Grew from Scratch
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Candlewick
(pub. 9.13.2022) 32 pages
Author: Carrie Fountain
Illustrator: Chris Turnham
Characters: William Stanley
Overview:
" All his life, William Stanley searched for a wild place of his own. Growing up in the straightened-out city blocks of his childhood and finding some respite in summer trips to a cabin in the woods, William Stanley yearned for space, fragrant soil, tall trees, and the silence that surrounds them. In Hawaii, he learned of acres of land depleted from toxic agricultural practices, and he became determined to restore that land and create one of the most comprehensive palm gardens in the world...leaving as his legacy a wild space for everyone."
Tantalizing taste:
" He felt at home in the wilderness, where trees grew where their seeds had fallen and the noises were wild noises and birds lived the way birds had always lived, in trees and in the sky.
As he grew up, William Stanley also learned that he loved to write poems. For William Stanley, writing poetry was like visiting a wild place - a surprising place always just exactly itself, language growing wherever it pleased.
It couldn't be straightened out."
And something more: Carrie Fountain, in the Author's Note explains that "William and Paula Merwin planted nearly three thousand palm trees [in Maui], living at the center of their forest in a house that uses rainwater and solar energy....
William's long commitment to writing left the world with a great wealth of poems, and his poetry was celebrated with many awards. Over his lifetime, he won two Pulitzer Prizes and the National Book Award. He was named Poet Laureate of the United States in 2010 and traveled to Washington, DC, to meet President Obama at the White House...
In 2010, Wlliam and Paula established the Merwin Conservancy, which will protect and grow the palm forest in perpetuity."
