A Perfect Fit: How Lena "Lane" Bryant Changed the Shape of Fashion. Mara Rockliff. Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal. 2022. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: Lena's family was not as large as others in the village, but for her it was a perfect fit. Her grandfather taught her to read and write. Her grandmother taught her to drape and snip and stitch. Lena loved her grandparents. Still, life was hard. She dreamed of following her older sister to America.
Mara Rockliff has written a picture book biography of Lena Himmelstein Bryant (aka "Lane" Bryant.) This was a picture book I never knew I needed...until I read it. It was LOVE from page one. Seriously. I loved, loved, loved the narrative. Such great storytelling! The text was absolutely lovely. I loved, loved, loved the illustrations. Together they create a story that was just fascinating and satisfying. I thought it was beautifully written--woven together splendidly. Not all picture book biographies feel cohesive.
I also loved the repeated use of the phrase, "perfect fit." It always fits perfectly (no pun intended honestly) in the story. It doesn't seem forced; it feels natural and just right.
I think what I personally loved best was how her grandfather's advice shapes the story as a whole. He defined success--real success--as having [actually] helped another person.
Quote:
Success! How would it look--as elegant as lace? How would it feel--as comfortable as silk? Certainly it wouldn't squeeze and pinch like being poor. Her grandfather smiled. If she could help another person, he told Lena, that would be real success.
© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers
No comments:
Post a Comment