Blueberry Girl

Blueberry Blessings For Your Wild Child, a review of Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' Blueberry Girl, by Lichen June Lovers of art and lovers of whimsy, lovers of words, the magical kind this is a review for a Blueberry Girl a tale from Neil Gaiman's mind A book filled with prayers and hopes for a child to guide and watch over her play to protect her from troubles and woes of all kinds add kindness and delight to her days Words can be blessings, words can be curses when spoken with the firmness of truth Neil's words have intent, filled with love and bright purpose to protect a child's trust and her youth Lovers of dreams, lovers of nature lovers of mysteries told this is a rave for a Blueberry Girl for teaching her to be brave and be bold The pictures are beautiful, vibrant and strong watercolor to dazzle the eyes the verses enchant the young and the old at turns graceful and really quite wise Buy this book for your loved ones to grow on to imagine, share and inspire to teach the dance of great joys and deep sorrows the balance her life will require Lovers of sunlight, lovers of starlight lovers of "shadows that fall" this is rejoicing that Blueberry Girl is here to be enjoyed by us all Thanks Charles Vess for your love of the natural Neil Gaiman for your love of this child you've both interwoven vast talents to create a present most wondrous and wild Truth is a gift we must find for ourselves "precious and rare as a pearl" but it comes just a little bit easier now with a gift like the Blueberry Girl [...]

Blueberry Girl is magical. Neil Gaiman's prayer for the daughter of a friend is beautifully written with sentiments shared by any one who has or had a little girl in their life. It's truly lovely and encompasses every wish I could bestow upon the baby girls coming into this world. I plan to share it with all of my friends. Also, I highly recommend everyone watch the video, put together by Brady Hall, using the illustrations in the book and a reading of Blueberry Girl by Neil. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH4lyJWa_84 & feature=player_embedded

I am reluctant to give this book up. It's Neil Gaiman, and that means words: good words. It's Charles Vess, and that means art: beautiful art. It's also for girls and women and probably other feminine creatures, and I don't qualify for any of those titles. However, my daughter... now, for my daughter, this is the perfect gift. Its inspiration and encouragement will be there for her, give her something to look through and keep in mind when I'm not right there to say all the sorts of inspirational and encouraging things a father can say to his daughter. Maybe, when she reads it, she will smile and think kindly of all the times I've said something similar, and maybe, just maybe, she won't roll her eyes like she would when I say those things... She's nearly a teenager now, and the only problem I really see with this book is that it wasn't around a decade or so ago so I could read it to her over and over through the years...

I just had to take one look at the sample page and I was completely captivated by the beautiful language and the amazing illustrations. I've already given this book away as a gift four times. The prayer for the Blueberry Girl contains well-wishes that every little girl everywhere in the world should be blessed with. And I dare say these lines will be uplifting and inspiring even for some not-so-little girls. I also love the illustrations. They are enchanting and intricate, with many colourful details that are just waiting to be discovered. It's a perfect book for mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers reading with and to their little girls. I am certain that this will turn into one of those magical books that stay treasured and beloved for a life-time and beyond.

The lilt of the rhyme, the excellence of the message for girls and future women, the gentle, beautiful illustrations...these are the reasons that I'll be buying this book for many new moms and young girls. This simple, short poem/story uses good sense, good balance, and good vocabulary. I'm not much of a book reviewer, but, as they say, I know what I like. This goes into the same category as "Oh, The Places You'll Go" as a go-to book as a gift, with a special emphasis on girls. It was clearly written and illustrated by people with a loving respect for the women in their lives. I didn't look at how much of the book is available in preview, but even if the whole book is there, it's still one that I'm glad I have in hardcover...it will be shared, and shared, and shared.