The Little Books of the Little Brontës

The Little Books of the Little Brontës is a gorgeous book about a remarkable family.My first encounter with any Brontë was the Classics Illustrated Comic Books; presentation of Jane Eyre. It was one of my favorite stories and I first read the full novel in junior high. Over the years I have read all the novels by Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, and several biographies about the Brontës. I love how this book introduces children to these gifted siblings.Charlotte, brother Branwell, Emily, and Anne were the surviving siblings after their older sisters died of tuberculosis. They had also lost their mother. The siblings were very close.The illustrations show their small village and the vast moors that was their playground. They made up stories and poems while playing on the moor, or even while peeling potatoes for dinner.The gift of wood soldiers to Branwell were a hit, each of his sisters claiming one, too. They became the focus of their make-believe tales.Charlotte made the first tiny book for her younger sister Anne. Later, the children made little books for the wooden soldiers. The books were hand written and illustrated, bound and covered in wall paper scraps.The Author's Note offers more information about the little books, and a Timeline follows the Brontës lives, telling how the girls grew up to write novels and poems under pen names.The author understands that children will want to make their own little books, and shows how to do it.When I was a girl, my best friend and I played in what seemed to us a vast wasteland, a hilly, undeveloped terrain covered in patches of grass. We pretended we were orphans in Scotland, having adventures. We planned to start a newspaper in the ramshackle structure that had long ago been a chicken coop. We would have loved to learn about the Brontës and would have found them to be kindred spirits.Perhaps this book will inspire a child in your life to imagine a writing life.The cover and endpapers are so pretty, too.Thanks to the publisher for a free book through LibraryThing.

Sara O’Leary begins and ends her tale with an inviting point of view. Speaking in second person, she immediately draws the reader in. “Many years before you were born. a child named Charlotte Bronte made a little book for her little sister Anne. If you look through the window of this house… you can see the two of them there…” The illustration of the atmospheric moor and the view through the window of two adorable little girls engaged in bookmaking will charm any young reader, particularly booklovers.Cleverly, O’Leary weaves together the life of the four young Brontes and the tales in the little handmade books they created. With an appetite for stories, the children not only devoured them as readers, but also invented characters to write about. Branwell’s toy soldiers inspired endless tales as well. Briony May Smith’s lush detailed art, in an earth tone palette, envelops readers into 19th century life from cobblestone streets to the windy moors. She also conveys the innocence of the young Brontes, who are “a world unto themselves.” In one particularly brilliant illustration, Smith portrays the four children in a bedroom engaged in imaginative play, and the shadows on the wall capture what’s in their minds and the stories they weave.The text only briefly mentions the later literary accomplishments of Charlotte, Anne, and Emily but intentionally states, “Let’s leave them there now,” emphasizing the joys of the bookmaking and indeed inviting young readers to do the same, even including a spread in the backmatter: “How to Make Your Own Little Book.” Also in backmatter is an author’s note, timeline, and sources. This tour de force between O’Leary and Smith is a not-to-missed tale that will spark interest for young children to learn more and will delight fans of the Brontes’ story.

I loved the illustrations and found the book very cute. It is a good introduction to the Brontes for children and great for adults who love British literature.

I am embarrassed to admit that yes, I have heard of the Brontes and their literature and that’s about it. I’ve read nothing by them and know next to nothing about them. I can’t use the excuse of living in the states and not the UK as a valid reason either. Their literature is quite well known over here as well.In this beautifully illustrated children’s book we meet the 4 children, and the father makes a very brief appearance bringing gifts to the children returning home after traveling.This is a nonfiction book and though it is informative I will now be doing more of an Indepth research into the children, their lives and their family.I see the children had two elder sisters and their mother who passed all within a close time due to tuberculosis.It sounds like the children didn’t have many friends outside of themselves and their family. Making up stories and creating their own very small child sized books was a way they entertained themselves. They loved reading and would read anything they could get their hands on including literature and their mother’s bible.The four surviving children all died young, such tragedy! Their father outlived them all.The book is atmospheric, you can just imagine them sitting at a table making these little books with wallpaper scraps for the cover.The Little Book of the Little Bronte’s will propel those interested in English literature and learning more about these literary greats to do your own research. I will definitely be doing this.Children have not only the opportunity to learn the basics about this family history, but it includes instruction on making your own book. Who knows this may interest some to continue on to becoming a published author.I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Very easy reading for young children aspiring to be authors.

Cadeau