Rockin Reads: Bloom

Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli
By Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Julie Morstad
Harper, 2018. Picture book biography.

This picture book biography, new this year, is about Elsa Schiaparelli - an Italian fashion designer known for creating innovative dresses that transcended fashion and were works of art. This book illustrates Elsa's painful childhood - her parents were openly disappointed they didn't have a son, her mother thought she was ugly - only briefly and to provide a basis for the artistic life Elsa chose to lead.

This book is an inspiring read, reminding young readers that they can accomplish great things and "bloom" into something beautiful. The watercolor illustrations in this book are bright and beautiful with good representations of Elsa's avant garde designs and lots and lots of her signature shade of hot pink. This is truly a rockin read for the young fashionista or girl power enthusiast in your life (or anyone who likes lots of pink).

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