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maxcfb's review against another edition
5.0
I’m starting to realize that picture book biographies are some of the best picture books one can find, and The Bluest of Blues is a prime example. This book chronicles the life of Anna Atkins, from a slightly-fictionalized-but-beautiful childhood learning from her scientist father in an era when women otherwise learned little science, to her adult life when she became a botanist and the first person ever to publish a book of photographs—specifically, blue photographs called cyanotypes of different plants.
The writing in this story is poetic yet informative—starting with Atkins’s childhood allows us to grow to love both her and her father, before we eventually see how Atkins draws from her childhood to achieve the feats she does.
The illustrations in this story are glorious—watercolors, pencils, and real photographs and objects, all cast in a beautiful spectrum of blues to reflect the cyanotypes that Atkins took. A few red accents throughout the story draw the eye to specific objects.
This book is not to be missed.
Click here to see the full review on my blog!
The writing in this story is poetic yet informative—starting with Atkins’s childhood allows us to grow to love both her and her father, before we eventually see how Atkins draws from her childhood to achieve the feats she does.
The illustrations in this story are glorious—watercolors, pencils, and real photographs and objects, all cast in a beautiful spectrum of blues to reflect the cyanotypes that Atkins took. A few red accents throughout the story draw the eye to specific objects.
This book is not to be missed.
Click here to see the full review on my blog!
sunflowerjess's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
Anna Atkins was the first woman (so far as we know) to take a photograph. She was a pioneer scientist, botanist, and photographer. Her mother died when Anna was an infant, and she and her father had a close relationship; he cultivated her love of nature and exploration. This picture book is absolutely beautiful and does great honor to Anna Atkins.
librarymouse's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.25
The Bluest of Blues: Anna Atkins and the First Book of Photographs is an easily consumable account of Anna Atkins's life and work. Little is known about Anna Atkins's early life, so Fiona Robinson had to surmise what it may have been like from her father's work and common pass times in her community during the years she was a child. I knew there weren't many biographies written about Anna Atkins, but I didn't know that it was mostly due to her signature, A.A., meant that many of her works were attributed to "Anonymous Author". Eventually I'd like to finish reading Sun Gardens, a biography of Atkins accompanying a to scale collection of her cyanotypes, but I'm glad I picked up this children's biography of her. It had a bibliography in the back with some interesting further reading and instructions about how to cyanotype at home. The illustrations have a limited color palate and beautifully integrate sections of Atkins's cyanotypes with colored pencil illustrations. I especially enjoy the motif of a poppy showing up as one of the first flowers she pressed with her father as a child. It's a fictional account that packs a lot of emotion into the cyanotype of a poppy she did just after her father's death. The only colors in the book are the white of the page, two blue tones, red, and sparing sections of black paired with the red for impact among the blue. Overall, one of my favorite children's books, and I'm glad it exists as a resource for more people to learn about Anna Atkins.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
michelle_neuwirth_gray9311's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was interesting and delightful. I also learned the DIA holds one of Anna's cyanotype photographs! I will have to go and see it. :)
gmrickel's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars, using the term "Father", while historically accurate, just felt jarring. This is a very personal note, it doesn't speak to the overall coolness of this book.
First up- illustrations! Fiona Robinson wrote and illustrated this book. I love that she included medium notes in the back content! "The illustrations are montages of pencil drawings, watercolor paintings, vintage fabrics and wallpapers, wood veneers, and photographs." There are many scientific illustrations of plants and shells. Drawn in blues to evoke the process of cyanotype printing (a method used by the subject, Anna Atkins), there are occasional bursts of poppy red. The author extrapolates the interpersonal dynamic between Anna and her father based on limited descriptions provided by Anna and assumptions of common dynamics of the time, but there are several facts scattered throughout the biography (what she collected, when/how she learned certain skills, her professional development in general, etc.).
The back content includes: an author's note, instructions on how to make your own cyanotypes, a bibliography, information on where to find Anna's works, acknowledgements, illustration credits, and a medium note.
I think the voice of the book might be off-putting for some children (frankly it was a little off-putting for me, I can't quite describe why). There is a lot of text so I would suggest this for more advanced readers or as a read-together book. The idea of doing a program with cyanotypes is cool, but I'm not sure how practical it is (you need things like a dark room and will be working with chemicals... potential liability concerns give me pause). Maybe a program with older kids, perhaps teens? The imprint, Abrams Books for Young Readers, "publishes picture books and illustrated nonfiction for preschool through middle-grade readers."
I wish I knew about Anna Atkins before today. Why are we not taught about women in science?! I know why, of course, but it still frustrates me. This book would make a great gift from the artist/scientists in your life, especially if they have an interest in photography/botany/women in science/history of these topics. I asked our Children's Librarian to estimate an age group and she said 7-10 but that it would likely appeal to a niche group of kids, regardless of age. Had it been formatted differently, she would have suggested older, but she shared that in her experience, older readers see the picture book format and are automatically turned off by it, assuming they are "too old for picture books." Useful insight!
First up- illustrations! Fiona Robinson wrote and illustrated this book. I love that she included medium notes in the back content! "The illustrations are montages of pencil drawings, watercolor paintings, vintage fabrics and wallpapers, wood veneers, and photographs." There are many scientific illustrations of plants and shells. Drawn in blues to evoke the process of cyanotype printing (a method used by the subject, Anna Atkins), there are occasional bursts of poppy red. The author extrapolates the interpersonal dynamic between Anna and her father based on limited descriptions provided by Anna and assumptions of common dynamics of the time, but there are several facts scattered throughout the biography (what she collected, when/how she learned certain skills, her professional development in general, etc.).
The back content includes: an author's note, instructions on how to make your own cyanotypes, a bibliography, information on where to find Anna's works, acknowledgements, illustration credits, and a medium note.
I think the voice of the book might be off-putting for some children (frankly it was a little off-putting for me, I can't quite describe why). There is a lot of text so I would suggest this for more advanced readers or as a read-together book. The idea of doing a program with cyanotypes is cool, but I'm not sure how practical it is (you need things like a dark room and will be working with chemicals... potential liability concerns give me pause). Maybe a program with older kids, perhaps teens? The imprint, Abrams Books for Young Readers, "publishes picture books and illustrated nonfiction for preschool through middle-grade readers."
I wish I knew about Anna Atkins before today. Why are we not taught about women in science?! I know why, of course, but it still frustrates me. This book would make a great gift from the artist/scientists in your life, especially if they have an interest in photography/botany/women in science/history of these topics. I asked our Children's Librarian to estimate an age group and she said 7-10 but that it would likely appeal to a niche group of kids, regardless of age. Had it been formatted differently, she would have suggested older, but she shared that in her experience, older readers see the picture book format and are automatically turned off by it, assuming they are "too old for picture books." Useful insight!
maidmarianlib's review
4.0
Such a unique biography, love that the pictures strongly connect to the context of Anna’s photos
cweichel's review
4.0
Learning about Anna Atkins and discovering that she created the first book of photographs was fascinating. The art is just gorgeous. I love that it is based on the cyanotype impressions created by Anna. It really is the bluest of blues!