Before They Were Authors: Famous Writers as Kids

Using a graphic-novel format and her trademark watercolor stylings, illustrator Haidle makes her authorial debut with this collection of abridged biographies of 10 authors, including Maya Angelou, Roald Dahl, and J.K. Rowling. Chapters open with a quote from and portrait of the featured author; and a timeline of their well-known works is sandwiched between birth and, where applicable, death dates. Brief narratives describe the writers’ often-circuitous journeys toward fame, avoiding controversy but highlighting childhoods marked by hardship or alienation. Angelou experienced trauma during her upbringing (“at the age of seven, a terrible crisis occurred”), C.S. Lewis was born with “a birth defect affecting his thumbs”; and Sandra Cisneros and Gene Luen Yang both drew from their dual cultures as they began to write. Soft blue, gray, orange, and brown shades color the animated panels, which are frequently divided diagonally. The positioning of complementary hues creates a pleasing design aesthetic, and myriad details invite prolonged perusing. Source notes and a bibliography wrap up this visually appealing glimpse into the backstories of a few story writers. Ages 10–up. [em](May) [/em]