January 24, 2025
I think I’ve shared with my readers that a friend of mine had a baby and asked me for a list of all the children’s books her child would need. On that list I put a book that makes me feel safe, happy, and calm. That book is Miss Rumphius. The core message of Miss Rumphius is to make the world more beautiful. And in reading World More Beautiful, we find out that’s just what Ms. Cooney has done.
Barbara was born in a hotel to a father who preferred his sons over his daughter. Luckily, Barbara and her mother had each other and a love of art and beauty. Barbara became a children’s book illustrator, but after an editor told her she lacked a sense of color she was told to only use black and white. Which… how was this editor’s name not dropped? I wanted to know so I could openly scoff. Not a charitable impulse, but if you’ve ever seen Barbara’s painted lupines you would also scoff.
Barbara traveled extensively, but always returned to her beloved Maine. Which gave me Jessica Fletcher vibes because Jess was also always traveling and being fabulous and then complaining about not being at home in Maine. And you’re thinking, just stay in Maine, Jess! Sakes alive. I have lost to thread here. Back to Barbara!
She eventually realized she was obvs a genius and needed to pull herself together and stop only using black and white and liven up the page and that’s just what she did! And we are so grateful. The art in this book is so good I wanted to run around the house screaming, and you don’t know I didn’t. Becca is insanely good at making art that evokes the lush beauty of Barbara’s. Angela, I suppose, is another genius because her prose was gorgeous and deserves to be read aloud for everyone to enjoy.
Bits and Pieces: The illustrations were done in gouache. This book was so delightful I wanted to give up ever writing or painting again and just admire this one. Leave me to rot in peace, but leave this book with me.
Not Sure About: I have no complaints or unfulfilled wishes.
Favorite Part(s): The best part of this book was the message of a life well lived with beauty. It’s not about how long you have, but what you create while you’re here. Did I just write that? Or did I read it somewhere and claim it? Someone tell me.
If you were to come to my house you might think “Wowee. This lady likes blue”. Or as Angela puts it, "sapphire and cerulean, azure and ultramarine.” Barbara Cooney was so good with blues, greens and purples (of course! The lupines!) which are my favorites. She’s always been one of my favorite illustrators and now I have another one, Becca Stadtlander.
