Shelf Awareness--Nonsense!

PB Review: Nonsense!: The Curious Story of Edward Gorey

Nonsense!: The Curious Story of Edward Gorey by Lori Mortensen, illus. by Chloe Bristol (Versify/HMH, 40p., ages 4-8, 9780358033684, March 24, 2020)

Echoing a style used by the subject himself, Lori Mortensen (Away with Words) and Chloe Bristol use "words and pictures. And pictures and words" to capture the essence of that well-known, eccentric creator Edward Gorey (1925-2000).

Gorey was born in Chicago, a brilliant, self-taught child who "gobbled up adventures and mysteries. Comics and poetry." When he happened to enjoy "the whimsical Alice in Wonderland and the frighteningly gruesome Dracula, one after the other," that strange combination captured his imagination "like a penguin sipping tea on a runaway train." Young Edward skipped grades in school and moved many times with his family, but the boy "scribbled and sketched, sketched and scribbled, wherever he went." When he turned 18, he was drafted and served as company clerk in "an army full of rules." After his service, Gorey arrived at Harvard, "skinny, furry-coated, ring-fingered, sneaker-footed" and ready to live by his own rules. He wrote poetry, prose and plays, but had yet to find his calling.

In 1953, he took a job in the art department of a New York publishing company. One day, Gorey began jotting down "stories that mingled sweetness and innocence, danger and darkness, all mixed up with his own brand of silliness," which he then illustrated. Publishers weren't interested in his work so Gorey published it himself. The "strange stories with curious titles" which featured "odd and unfortunate endings" made some parents angry. But Gorey refused to explain himself, insisting his books should not be taken seriously. They were just "Edward being Edward, with a hatful of nonsense thrown in."

Throughout Nonsense!, Mortensen's stylishly poetic prose calls attention to the element of fun in Gorey's work. Illustrator Bristol's (the Winterhouse Mysteries series) pencil and digital art evokes the sketchy black lines used by Gorey himself. Text and illustration together paint a satisfying picture of an eccentric who developed an endearing (and unusual) way of expressing himself--and garnered an enduring following in the process. As Mortensen's end notes point out, Gorey published more than 100 of his own books and illustrated more than 60 works by others, including Lewis Carroll, one of the authors who so influenced his life. She further states that Gorey's work and influence lives on in other creators: Lemony Snicket, Tim Burton and Neil Gaiman "must all tip their hats to Edward Gorey." As should anyone else lucky enough to happen upon this biography about Gorey's darkly "curious" work! --Lynn Becker, blogger and host of Book Talk, a monthly online discussion of children's books for SCBWI.

Shelf Talker: Throughout his life, Edward Gorey "scribbled and sketched" his way toward creating the brand of sweet-yet-dark books which have become synonymous with his name and beloved by generations.

February Recommendations

Novels:

A HEART SO FIERCE AND BROKEN, by Brigid Kemmerer, is the long-awaited sequel to her fabulous Beauty and the Beast retelling, A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY. In this new installment, even though the curse has been broken, troubles still abound for Prince Rhen and Princess Harper. There are rumors that Rhen is not, in fact, the rightful heir to Emberfall. Queen Karis Luran may attack at any time. And Rhen's longest-tenured and most trusted Royal Guardsman, Grey, has been gone for months without word. Rhen swears he will kill any rival heir who appears bearing magical powers, so the only thing that could make all this worse is if Grey is the heir! Seamless storytelling--from three points of view—make this second volume a pleasure from cover to cover. (YA)

Graphic Novels:

In PUMPKINHEADS, Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks take readers to the pumpkin patch where best friends Deja and Josiah have worked every autumn for the last three years. Now that they’re seniors and college is on the horizon, this is the last Halloween they’ll be spending here for a while. Deja has decided that Josie should leave with no regrets: tonight he has to actually talk to The Fudge Shoppe Girl, aka Marcy, who he’s he’s been crushing on for as long as they’ve all worked together. Hijinks ensue, and the two friends enjoy a night full of misadventures and revelations—and not nearly enough snacks. (YA)

BECOMING RBG: RUTH BADER GINSBURG’S JOURNEY TO JUSTiCE, written by Debbie Levy, illustrated by Whitney Gardner, is a solid introduction to this Supreme Court Justice and “modern feminist icon.” Beginning with her childhood as a feisty girl growing up in Brooklyn, where reading introduced her “to capable and clever girls doing satisfying, useful work out in the world,” thorough her education at Cornell, where she fell in love with the law and “effective writing,” on through her time as one of only nine women out of five hundred in Harvard Law School, to her placement as professor, judge and beyond, Ruth excelled, even as she fought bigotry and championed equal rights for all. The graphic novel format makes this inspirational biography both appealing and accessible. (YA)

Picture Books:

BEAR IS AWAKE! AN ALPHABET STORY, by Hannah E. Harrison, tells a complete story, from Aa to Zz. Awakening on the first spread is a big bear who makes his way to a cozy cabin, where he rings the doorbell and enters excitedly and on and on, in this funny adventure of a hungry bear and his newly-found human friend. Gouache illustrations cleverly illustrate the spare text.

ONE FOX: A COUNTING BOOK THRILLER, by Kate Read, is a counting book that also has a narrative arc. One famished fox, with his two sly eyes, spots three plump hens, and away we go! Mixed media illustrations—done with collage and painting—are strong, colorful, and expressive.

LITTLE DOCTOR AND THE FEARLESS BEAST, by Sophie Gilmore, is a real charmer. All the crocodiles come to see the child they call Little Doctor, who treats each one of them with care. She fixes broken tails, and tweezes out splinters, and, in return, the crocs tell her tales of fearless legendary beasts. Until, one day, one of those very beasts, Big Mean, arrives at her cottage with her jaws clamped shut. The illustrations, which look to be watercolors, are delightful.

--Lynn

February's Book of the Month--The Fountains of Silence

January’s Book of the Month is THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE, by the always amazing Ruta Sepetys.

Ana works at the Castellana Hilton Madrid, formerly a palace, and now an opulent hotel for Americans in Generalísimo Franco’s Spain. The fascist dictator is encouraging “American diplomats, actors, and musicians” to visit the country again, to “socialize and mingle into the pale hours of morning.” Ana meets Daniel Matheson, the earnest son of an oil tycoon who prefers photography and journalism to the family business. Ana and Daniel feel an undeniable attraction. But, for most Spaniards, the present under Franco is a desperate struggle. As the connection between Ana and Daniel grows, so does Daniel’s awareness of the atrocities teeming below the surface of the Madrid which he as a tourist is allowed to see, atrocities which include the fate of Ana’s parents and the plight of her desperately poor family.

I’ve tried to understand how I was so quickly drawn into a novel whose subject I know nothing about, and I’ve decided it’s mainly two things which sound—deceptively--simple: the author immediately grounds readers in a specific place and she gives us characters we care about. Right away she sets a powerful scene, vividly describing the line outside the butcher shop, and the boy who works there doling out blood. On the next pages, we learn how he witnessed the death of his father, and, by the time we get to one of the main characters, Ana, we are hooked. Ana and the glowing splendor of the hotel are described in stark relief to the previous pages, and they, too, draw readers in. There’s also plenty of tension provided by the menacing soldiers and stifling restrictions citizens endure—and Daniel stumbles onto—which have been set in place by the dictator Franco.

Sepetys intersperses her saga with historical documents and photographs, tying the very human face of her narrative to the actual struggles of Spain and its people after the Spanish Civil War. It’s masterfully done!

Or so I think. Have you read THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE? What do you think?

--Lynn