Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson
by Lydia Corry; illus. by the author
Intermediate    Godwin/Holt    112 pp.
10/24    9781250868213    $22.99
Paper ed.  9781250868206    $14.99
e-book ed.  9781250405500    $9.99

Corry introduces readers to the young Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) in creative graphic-novel form. “One day Emily would become known as one of the greatest poets who ever lived!” But this is not that story; instead, it is a glimpse of some of the things that helped shape her future as a poet. We learn that she loved studying botany in school and created her own herbarium, gathering plant specimens on her “wildflower walks” with her dog, Carlo (“my shaggy ally”). Most of the book imagines one such walk to “meet the flowers.” Throughout, Corry incorporates Dickinson’s own words in speech bubbles as well as a selection of her poems. Watercolor, gouache, and colored-pencil illustrations reflect Emily’s internal transformation as color transitions from shades of sepia for the school and home scenes to full color as she embarks on her walk. The illustrations also playfully highlight Emily’s imagination at work, as insects play instruments, sail the sea, have tea, and more; when she briefly loses track of Carlo in the woods, Emily fearfully envisions what could have happened (“What if…goblins have kidnapped him?”). The varied panel layout is easy to follow, adds momentum, and reflects Emily’s passionate and detailed nature. While Corry admits to taking artistic license with the timeline, the book gives readers a sense of Dickinson without overwhelming them with facts. Back matter includes additional biographical information and suggestions for further reading.

From the ">January/February 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.