Madeleine's Light

Gr 1–3—Camille Claudel (1864–1943) was a gifted French sculptor at a time when few women were working in that art form. Ziarnik's story is a fictionalized account of summers Claudel spent in the country and her friendship with young Madeleine Boyer, the landlady's granddaughter. A little wild looking and completely focused on her work, Claudel appreciated the child's inner light. Boyer in turn comes to understand the nature of inspiration and art's pull on the soul as she completes a simple sculpture of her own. Similar in scope and depth to Laurence Anholt's series on artists, Ziarnik's story illuminates a snippet of Claudel's life for a young audience. Dunn's lovely pencil and watercolor illustrations are fluid and sketchy, and drenched in color. Unfortunately, neither the narrative nor the drawings offer the sense of intimacy readers need to connect to the characters, their artistic drive, or the miracle of their creations. A strictly additional purchase.—Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC