Nature’s Friend: The Gwen Frostic Story
Author: Lindsey McDivitt
Illustrator: Eileen Ryan Ewen
Sleeping Bear Press
4 August 2018
32 pages
This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (#1 “Friend of the Trees” at Only Picture Books) and and Florida-based author/illustrator Linda Shute.
–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–
It’s always wonderful to read picture book texts where the author has a poetic sensibility about sound, as one can hear in “like a small fawn follows its herd,” which is how McDivitt describes Gwen’s relationship to her brothers and sisters. You hear it again with this line: “tiny town tucked into the thumb of Michigan.” While there are other instances of this type of attention to language, my favorite might well be “tiny ferns unfurled at her feet.” It’s clear early on that McDivitt is trying to create an image system from the natural world to prepare readers for Gwen’s later work as lover of nature.
Nature’s Friend shares Gwen’s entire life trajectory–all nine decades of it. She went from being a sickly child to a prominent businesswoman, successful artist, and environmental pioneer. She was so successful, in fact, that she left an estate of $13 million to Western Michigan University, which renamed its art school in her honor. While Gwen started off with clear physical challenges, she simply never saw herself as disabled. That’s an important message for young readers, to be sure.
Gwen’s life is so full of interesting things that trying to capture it all in a single book feels a bit like one of those Dagwood sandwiches–short of being a comic character with a jaw that can unhinge, there’s no way to quite get your mouth around all that deliciousness.
One of the nice touches in this book is how quotations by Gwen are occasionally included in soft blue letters at the bottom of the page. While some might include such quotations as back matter, these each seen specifically selected for the spread where they’re used. That’s a fine touch.
There’s even a craft project at the end of the book, along with additional back matter about Gwen’s life.
This is an empowering book about a truly noteworthy, admirable woman.
4.25 out of 5 pencils
–Linda’s Review of the Illustrations–
On the jacket of Nature’s Friend, dark tree trunks and limbs frame an alert turn-of-the century young Gwen sketching in a north woods glade. Artist Ewen draws us through the frame with a cast of half-concealed wildlife friends in the greenery surrounding Gwen.
The watercolor color and line medium, warm colors, and intimate viewpoint lend a confident, cheerful mood to the mile marker scenes of Gwen’s life. A large page size, with widely line-spaced blocks of text on generous white fields are inviting for the six to eight year old transitioning to independent reading. Many spreads feature Frostic quotes in a tall font that suggests hand lettering. Their sky blue tint prevents them from competing visually with the story text blocks, but beckons the reader to return and contemplate Gwen’s words. They soften and add interest to the generally airy page design.
We linger looking at Gwen’s early years long enough for the reader to identify with her, then sweep forward through her life watching her mature, her clothing and hair interestingly reflecting styles of the passing decades. The interior settings–her childhood classroom and home, Chicago trolley and print business, woodsy gift shop and sitting room–are well described, lending the story authenticity. For the outdoor scenes, the artist relies heavily on the less realistic and more decorative style used on the jacket.
Gwen’s physical handicaps are difficult to detect in the pictures. What is clearly shown is her spirit, determination, and resourcefulness, which leave an afterglow of optimism and peace.
4 out of 5 crayons
Linda Shute is an author/illustrator who earned a degree in art and art history at Florida State University and taught children’s book illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design.