Rather than being a straight-forward biography, the sweet graphic novel Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson by Linda Corry (Godwin Books, October 2024) captures her uniqueness, her passion for botany and nature, and her different way of looking at the world. Teenage Emily learns botany at her school desk, but with her dog Carlo she explores the fields and forests near her home, despite the disapproval of some in her family. Along with phrases from Emily Dickinson and gentle double-spread illustrations of nature, Corry manages to encapsulate the beauty of nature. The inclusion of some of Dickinson’s poems is a lovely bonus.

From my perspective as an adult who has studied Dickinson, I found this lovely approach to the complicated person a refreshing reminder of the complexities of personality. I loved the background information I learned about Emily Dickinson’s childhood, void of the debilitating depression the isolated grown-up Emily Dickinson would experience. The predominantly warm yellow, orange, and brown pictures include whimsical illustrations of insects, flowers, and plants, given each illustration the same poetic feel inherent in not just the text but also Dickinson’s poetry.

Is it clear that I enjoyed Wildflower Emily? I certainly did! It captured the author’s goal, as stated in her forward, of capturing the “spirit of Emily Dickinson.”

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance review copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a gorgeous book! I loved learning more about young Emily Dickinson and her dog, Carlo. The illustrations were exquisite, and the information at the back of the book was very interesting.

Simply gorgeous!

Whimsical and colorful illustrations show Emily out to explore with her faithful dog Carlo. While the flora are the focus of this particular biography (and she collects quite a few different types), there are also wonderful depictions of the fauna. Carlo gets to romp and run and get wet the way so many dogs love to do.

Some of Emily's poetry is featured throughout on separate pages and in her dialogue.

The end notes include facts about Emily (did you know they discovered 1,800 poems in her room after her death?) and about the beloved Carlo who was likely a Newfoundland. Also included is Emily's Gingerbread recipe. She loved to bake!

It's all I have to bring today --
This, and my heart beside --
This, and my heart, and all the fields --
And all the meadows wide --
Be sure you count sh'd I forget
Someone the sum could tell --
This, and my heart, and all the Bees
Which in the clover dwell. ~ Emily Dickinson

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Wildflower Emily
By: Lydia Corry
Pub. Date: October 15, 2024

Genre:
Children’s Non-fiction,
Graphic Novel

Favorite Quotes:
“Bring me the sunset in a cup!”
“The lonely flowers embarrass me, they make me regret I am not a Bee–”

Summary:
Emily and her dog Carlo go exploring in the great outdoors. They discover the beauty in the various flowers, and the excitement of discovering living things in their environment.

Review:
This is a beautifully illustrated story of the famous poet, Emily Dickinson. The reader learns as a child Emily Dickinson loved the great outdoors, living things, and especially flowers. The author sheds light on who Emily really was in a way she has never been portrayed before. Through the storyline, the reader meets Carlo, Emily’s dog and favorite companion. The illustrations are charming for the time period. I love the way the author included some of Dickinson’s poetry, and the overall simplicity of the graphic novel is perfect for the younger reader!

Authors writing similar to:
Anne of Green Gables (Graphic Novel)
The Secret Garden (Graphic Novel)

Thank you Lydia Corry, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#LydiaCorry
#WildflowerEmily
#MacmillanChildrensPublishingGroup
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Godwin Books, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this delightful book. This is a biography memoir of Emily Dickinson written for children in a graphic novel format. There are some of Emily’s poems appearing throughout the book and some wonderful facts about her are at the end. Beautiful illustrations add to the whimsical nature of the book and take us on the journey, along with Emily and Carlo, to see and discover the flowers. This is a great introduction to Emily Dickinson that I would highly recommend.

I'm so glad I took this walk in the woods with a young Emily Dickinson and her dog Carlo. The illustrations are lovely, colorful, and nicely done with lots and lots and lots of flowers. Emily loved the outdoors and her flowers. I must admit that while I've enjoyed her poetry, I knew little about Dickinson's life when started reading. My sum total of knowledge pretty much was that she was reclusive, somehow different from most, but wrote wonderful poems.

What I particularly enjoyed about the book format was its inclusion of not only many flower pictures but Emily's poetry interspersed throughout, each relevant to that particular part of the story. The text itself is simple and easy to understand. While written for young readers, I'm sure readers of all ages will find something to like about this enchanting look into life and heart of a young girl whose poetry, whether we recognize it as hers or not, has surely touched some part of our lives. It's telling that in one flower viewing adventure she loses, then finds both her dog and a lovely flower she's long wanted to see. As she goes to snip it, she stops, however. She decides it's not meant to be moved from its place in the sun. A reminder for all of us to enjoy nature and, in a way, leave nothing but tracks. Well, okay, she loses a shoe in the process but, hey, she was in a bog. The understanding nature of her parents was further shown by them calmly accepting the muddy girl and dog home with no chastisement. They and seemingly those about her, accepted her as the unique individual she was, another subtle reminder to us all to accept all.

I would recommend this book to all lovers of poetry and flowers, not to mention dogs and nature. While we often think sadly of her as a recluse, she obviously lived life her way. There's a great deal to be said for that. Teacher friends, this would be an excellent introduction to her poetry or, for the more scientific minded, types of flowers as all the illustrations of flowers are nicely labeled. The quick snippets of info at the end detail her full life in more detail. Wait till you see how she kept in touch with friends! Thank you so much #MacmillanChildren'sPublishingGroup - #GodwinBooks for refreshing my interest in this fascinating woman. She definitely wasn't a nobody.

Graphic novels are all the rage with the younger readers and Wildflower Emily is a gem that will delight young girls and more than a few adults. Telling the story of Emily Dickinson, an American poet, this brief graphic novel follows young Emily as she explores the world that inspired her poetry. Toss in a cute dog companion, stunning illustrations of wildflowers, and a delightful young girl and you have the makings of an engaging book for young readers.

Wildflower Emily
A Story About Young Emily Dickinson
by Lydia Corry
Pub DateOct 15 2024
Macmillan Children's Publishing Group |Godwin Books
Children's Nonfiction


I am reviewing a copy Of Wildflower Emily through Macmillan Children's Publishing Group |Godwin BooksA copy of Wildflower Emily was provided to me by Macmillan Children's Publishing Group - Godwin Books
Children's Nonfiction and Netgalley:


In this beautiful illustrated graphic novel style biography, we see a different side Of Emily Dickinson, the side before she became an eccentric recluse! Perfect for youngerchildren starting around age




Emily Dickinson is one of America's best and most original poets. If you hear her name, you may think of the famous recluse whose withdrawal from society became legendary. Nevertheless, Emily has a whole new side to discover, one that is powerful, adventurous, and joyful.



Our journey into Emily Dickinson's childhood reveals a young girl eager to explore -- to meet the flowers at home. Gather butterfly weed and goldenrod through tall grasses, and listen for the buzz of “buccaneers of buzz.” and make sure you keep a hot potato in your pocket for warmth.


Taking her trusty four-legged companion, Carlo, on an unforgettable journey in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts, is Emily Dickinson as you've never seen her before.

I give Wildflower Emily five out Of five stars!


Happy Reading!

4⭐️

I really enjoyed this animated story about the childhood of Emily Dickinson! Before reading this, I knew very little about Emily’s life or childhood. I found myself enthralled by her sense of adventure and desire to learn throughout the book. I also enjoyed the facts about her life at the end! Throughout the book I was reminded of what it’s like to be a curious child and also saw glimpses of my sweet daughter, who will really enjoy this read!

Side note for fellow homeschool families: this is a great book to use in a poetry study, a study about Emily Dickinson, as well as a study of plants! I will be using this in the upcoming school year for both Language Arts and a plant study - love it when subjects cross paths!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC!

An absolutely delightful and gorgeously illustrated story of a young Emily Dickinson and her fascination with the natural world. In colorful illustrations, Emily and her dog Carlo have a lovely day exploring the woods and meadow, finding flowers and plants, and getting inspiration for poetry.

I love biographical books that are geared toward kids--it's such a great way to introduce children to the people of the past who helped shape our present. The graphic novel form of this story about Emily Dickinson is beautifully illustrated and well written and compiled. I loved the way snippets of Emily's poems were woven throughout. I intended to read it over several evenings with my seven-year-old, but we were both so engaged that we read the entire book in two nights!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Lydia Corry for an advanced ecopy to review. I was not required to post a positive review and all opinions are my own.

Obsessed! This graphic novel is gorgeously illustrated and beautifully captures the life of Emily Dickinson. It's an incredibly accessible and engrossing biography of a woman I am learning more about and it truly focuses on her relationship with nature, not only in the language, but in the art throughout. This is book I will absolutely be purchasing and adding to my home library!

It's such a delight to see a great deal of Emily Dickinson's poems and letters incorporated into this story. The illustrations are dizzyingly beautiful, with enough yellow to sweeten any reader's day. I so appreciate that the story portrays young Emily as youthful and full of life rather than the solitary darkness-dweller so many scholars picture today. The story is contemplative and rather meandering, which will facilitate thoughtful reflection - not ennui - in its young readers.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Wildflower Emily is a graphic novel biography of Emily Dickinson. Lydia Corry explores Dickinson's love of nature and how it affected her poems. The illustrations are beautiful and pair perfectly with the text.

I will be adding this title to our library collection!

I LOVED the art style of this book. The watercolors and the identification of the different flowers really made it for me. I do wish though there was a little information about where the author got the facts about Emily and Carlo

I really loved the artwork in this book! The storyline seemed a little disjointed to me, but I also don't have much background knowledge about Emily's life.

This book is absolutely, completely charming! As a lover of all things Ms. Dickenson, I found this enchanting. The way her story is presented in both words and images was so perfect. I will be sharing this not only with my wildflower of a daughter but also with all of my poetry loving friends!

Soft illustrations and adventures with her Newfoundland, Carlo, take readers through the quiet yet exciting life of Emily Dickinson. The author details Dickinson's love for nature from an early age, and shows the important role that Carlo played as her "shaggy ally" as they venture through the meadows surrounding her house. The situations and scenes they run into are accompanied by Dickinson's own poems detailing a similar feeling or scene. Aspiring young botanists and poets will definitely find delight in this biography.

Wildflower Emily is truly a book that captures the personality of the poet, Emily Dickinson. I felt like I could hear her thoughts and totally sympathize with her!

The overall presentation was delightful. The description of her time romping through the wood is so engaging that readers might be enticed to put down their screens and GO OUTSIDE!

Such a darling book that communicates the reality that Emily had friends but often felt out of place despite her close friendships and family around her. She felt most connected to her dog, Carlo.

This is a graphic novel aimed at children, which offers a different view of the life of Emily Dickinson as a young girl, sharing some of her earlier poetry. But while this is aimed at children, it is also a lovely book for those who haven’t read much about her childhood.

Beautifully illustrated, this was a brief, if lovely glimpse into Emily as a young girl, a girl who began writing poetry at a young age, as well as a girl who loved her dog, Carlo. Their bond they shared felt as though it was even more important to her, for her, than her family or friends.


Pub Date: 15 Oct 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group / Godwin Books