Some Writer!

Starred review from July 18, 2016
In an illustrated biography that invites slow perusing, two-time Caldecott Honor–recipient Sweet (The Right Word) unspools the life of author E.B. White (1899–1985) in meticulously crafted, scrapbook-style pages. Her carefully assembled, whimsical collages feature watercolor illustrations, homemade paper, wood scraps, and maps merged with cartoons, family photographs, handwritten rough drafts, and other archival material. Over 13 chapters, Sweet recounts White’s near-idyllic childhood in New York state, his postcollege wanderlust, a writing career with the New Yorker and Harper’s magazine, and the acclaimed children’s books he created amid marriage and fatherhood. Aimed at elementary-school-age readers, this fond tribute will be best appreciated by those with some context for White’s classics, e.g., the title’s reference to Charlotte’s Web, though familiarity with his work isn’t required: Sweet gorgeously melds story and art to create a detailed portrait of White as an observant, humble, brilliant wordsmith with an affinity for nature. An author’s note, an afterword by White’s granddaughter, source notes, a selected bibliography, and a chronological list of his books conclude an excellent guide to the life of a celebrated writer. Ages 7–10. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

Starred review from July 15, 2016
A celebration of the life and work of New Yorker writer and children's-book author E.B. White. Sweet offers an affectionate tribute to White in a sumptuous volume, focusing especially on his three children's classics: Stuart Little (1945), Charlotte's Web (1952), and The Trumpet of the Swan (1970). The whole volume works like a signature Sweet illustration, an inventive and quirky juxtaposition of parts, combining lucid text, gorgeous and intricate watercolor-and-collage illustrations, photographs, excerpts of White's writings, and ephemera that evoke farm and barn life. Chapters on the children's books offer fascinating glimpses into the origins of the tales. Not so easy is making William Strunk and White's The Elements of Style interesting to young readers, but Sweet succeeds brilliantly by employing children's-book authors Joyce Sidman, Paul Fleischman, and Kate DiCamillo to relate how the guide influenced their own work. This chapter, along with the reproductions of drafts for the opening of Charlotte's Web and excerpts of White's own letters and essays woven throughout the text, makes Sweet's own volume a gem of a guide to writing. Children reading any of White's books would do well to read Sweet alongside. Like Charlotte, Sweet spins a terrific story. A masterful biography that will enchant young readers. (author's note, afterword, timeline, source notes, bibliography, about the art) (Biography. 7-12)

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Starred review from September 1, 2016

Gr 3-7-Throughout his life, E.B. White (1899-1985) divided his time between New York City and Belgrade Lakes in Maine. He drew inspiration for his books from the bucolic setting near author Sweet's own home and studio. Readers and writers will relate to stories of White's childhood-he was "scrawny" and "fearful" but in love with words. As a child, he contributed short pieces to magazines, winning awards for his studies of nature, dogs, and his family. Some of his youthful creations, such as essays, poetry, and a handmade brochure, are included. Readers may be surprised to find that "Andy" spent his adult years at The New Yorker working with writers like John Updike and James Thurber and that his most ubiquitous book may actually be The Elements of Style. Much of the information on White's adulthood is organized in the volume by his major children's publications. Portions of handwritten and typed drafts of Charlotte's Web will serve as inspiration for young writers. The book is illustrated in Sweet's signature watercolor and collage, which incorporates wood and hardware, vintage office supplies, and quotes from White. Detailed tableaux invite careful inspection and reward readers with connections to the subject's work. Photos of the author and the animals upon which he based his stories will delight readers. In addition to providing carefully chosen words and beautiful illustrations, the biography serves as a stealthy introduction to primary source material, and for the teacher librarian, the text is a rich source of nonfiction features, including a how-to on using a manual typewriter. An afterword by White's granddaughter is an added bonus. VERDICT Drop everything and share widely.-Deidre Winterhalter, Niles Public Library, IL

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