The Little Books of the Little Brontës

In a deeply sensitive work, O'Leary (Gemma and the Giant Girl) and Smith (The Mermaid Moon) focus on the diminutive volumes that Charlotte, Anne, Emily, and Branwell Brontë made for each other as children living in austere circumstances. Readers gaze through the window of a parsonage on the moors as Charlotte makes a book for sister Anne on pages "the size of Anne's hand"--in this work, Anne's parents are wealthy, and everything "ends happily." Mention of the real-world deaths of the Brontës' mother and two older sisters is followed by an affirmation of those who remain: "their father, their aunt, and a housekeeper named Tabby. They have many pets. They have each other." The children read everything in the house, invent endless stories for one another, and create books just the right size for their toy soldiers. Mixed-media spreads in muted, autumnal shades visually contrast themes of inner creative fire and outer quiet, as in one spread that reveals dramatic shadows behind the nightgowned children playacting by lamplight. Intimate, thoughtful writing sets the little books in context, seeing them as a response to the family's isolation: "The books they wrote are tiny, but the worlds inside them are huge." Characters are portrayed with pale skin. Back matter concludes. Ages 5-9. (Oct.)

Gr 2-5--Lively text and illustrations introduce the Brontë family, who lived "many years before you were born" in a house "at the edge of the wild moors." A double-page illustration contrasts the lonely landscape with the book-filled interior where Charlotte reads aloud a book she has made for Anne, her youngest sister. The rest of the family is first glimpsed at the dinner table, where empty chairs mark the recent loss of their mother and two oldest sisters. A "world unto themselves," the four children explore the moors, read voraciously, and write their own stories to share and enact among themselves. When their father gives them toys, a box of wooden soldiers piques their imagination. They craft tiny books for the soldiers in writing so small that none of the adults in the house can read it. "The books they write are tiny, but the worlds inside them are huge." Mixed media illustrations add period detail and enliven the narrative; books and pets may be glimpsed on almost every page. Excellent appendices include an author's note, time line, and instructions for making a book, as well as a photo showing some of the books made by the Brontë children. This work is excellent for small group sharing, especially for fans of longer picture books like Sophie Blackall's Farmhouse or Melissa Sweet's picture book biographies. VERDICT Exquisitely crafted text and illustrations convey an emotionally resonant tale of resilient family bonds and the lasting joy of stories.--Marilyn Taniguchi