« What I’m Doing at Kirkus This Week,
Plus What I Did Last Week, Featuring Carin Berger
Meet Yasmin Before Breakfast »

7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #609: Featuring Sonja Wimmer

h1 October 21st, 2018 by jules


“Princess Lois is a dentist. Not a single child comes to her clinic with fear.
She is married to Princess Maggie. Princess Maggie is a mail carrier.
She loves to deliver postcards from distant lands.”
(Click to see spread in its entirety)


 

Today, dear Imps, I’ve some art from an illustrator whose work it always makes me happy to see — German artist Sonja Wimmer. On shelves now is Dolores Brown’s The Truly Brave Princesses (published by NubeOcho earlier this month), illustrated by Wimmer and a book the Kirkus review calls a “not-so-subtle deconstruction of the princess myth.”

“Perhaps on more than one occasion you’ve seen a princess,” the book opens. “Maybe you didn’t realize she was actually a princess, because at that moment she was not wearing her crown.” Look closely, the book suggests: A princess can be anywhere. And then we are introduced to 18 of them, girls and women of various ethnicities, occupations, and personalities, who are depicted, via word and art, with such delightful idiosyncratic details that you find yourself lingering over each spread.

 


(Click to enlarge cover)


 

We meet Princess Beatrix, a hairdresser. Princess Neyla is an architect, whose prince is a stay-at-home dad. Princess Agnes is a widow. Princess Alice just got married and proposed to her husband (before he could propose to her). There are single women, single mothers, a girl with a lazy eye (whose slam dunks are terrific, though), a firefighter, a divorced librarian, a woman with Down syndrome, and much more. Wimmer paints them each with a crown on her head (except for Princess Zoe, an astronaut who has retired her crown, now that she “travels through distant space and does not want to be a princess anymore”). Each princess is paired with a profile, stating her name, age, profession (or desired profession, if it’s a girl), and her “loves.” Both author and illustrator are telling readers that being a princess is about finding what you love and doing what brings you joy. Wimmer’s princess portraits, delicately-lined and richly colored, are graceful, eloquent.

Here are some spreads!

 


“Princess Anita does not usually wait for the prince to come home;
it is he who usually waits for her.”
(Click to enlarge and read text in its entirety)


 


“Princess Rita has braces and a wonderful smile.”
(Click to enlarge and read text in its entirety)


 


“Princess Neyla designs houses to fulfill the dreams of many people.”
(Click to enlarge and read text in its entirety)


 


“Princess Kristen is proud to have exactly 47 freckles.”
(Click to enlarge and read text in its entirety)


 


“Princess Liang speaks French, German, English and Chinese.
It fascinates her to communicate in different languages.”
(Click to enlarge and read text in its entirety)


 


“Princess Nin is a hero. She has saved the lives of many people.
(Click to enlarge and read text in its entirety)


 

THE TRULY BRAVE PRINCESSES. © Text: Dolores Brown, 2018. © Illustrations: Sonja Wimmer, 2018. © Edition: NubeOcho, 2018. Illustrations reproduced by permission of the publisher.

Note for any new readers: 7-Imp’s 7 Kicks is a weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. New kickers are always welcome.

* * * Jules’ Kicks * * *

1) My youngest had a great birthday last weekend.

2) My conversation with Justice Sonia Sotomayor last weekend at the Southern Festival of Books was fabulous. She is so gracious, and the crowd gathered there to hear her adored her.

3) The new Doctor and snackin’ on custard creams during last week’s episode.

 



 

4) I love this interview with Terry Gross but especially how she closes it with Maurice Sendak’s words.

5) Paul Simon on SNL last weekend:

 



 

6) This poem.

7) Getting to meet in person (also at the Southern Festival of Books last weekend) a number of author-illustrators whose work has meant a lot to me over the years.

Bonus #1) This rocks.

Bonus #2) A delicious meal on Friday night with good friends.

What are YOUR kicks this week?





6 comments to “7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #609: Featuring Sonja Wimmer”

  1. I too enjoyed meeting several illustrators and authors I admire at the Festival of the Book at Harbor Springs several weeks ago. We have these virtual connections but to see them in person is like a dream come true. Thank you for sharing the Terry Gross interview. Happy belated Birthday to your darling daughter.

    My kicks this week:

    1. Capturing pictures and a short video of the wind making Lake Michigan wild.
    2. Sunshine; we have had rain almost every day for nearly a month.
    3. Halloween decorations
    4. Gathering books for Halloween
    5. My indie book shop McLean & Eakin
    6. New books
    7. Walking with Mulan

    Wishing everyone a super week.

         by Margie Culver October 21st, 2018 at 8:19 am

  2. Margie, hugs to Mulan. And thanks for the birthday wishes to the now 13-year-old! What’s your favorite new book?

         by jules October 21st, 2018 at 11:58 am

  3. Good afternoon, Imps! I hope you are having a lovely weeknd.

    Hello to Sonja and The Truly Brave Princesses! That looks fantastic.

    Jules: I’m so glad that you had a wonderful time at the festival, and that your daught had a great birthday! That’s a great poem. Here’s to never giving up. I’m looking forward to tonight’s episode of Doctor Who.

    Hi Maggie and Mulan!

    My kicks from the past week:
    1) Auditions
    2) Sharing
    3) Music
    4) Rest
    5) Simple
    6) Find
    7) Taste

         by Little Willow October 21st, 2018 at 12:32 pm

  4. I love this book and its charming, colorful illustrations so very much.

    Jules – hooray for good birthdays, conversations with a Justice, and delicious food with good friends. Rihanna is awesome.

    Margie – yay for Halloween decorations, independent bookstores and walks with Mulan.

    LW – Auditions, Music and Rest are such lovely kicks.

    My quick kicks:
    1) Glorious fall weather – sunshine and crisp air.
    2) Sunday morning yoga.
    3) Baking cookies on a cold day.
    4) Baking banana bread & watching movies.
    5) Making & mailing a care package for my nephew who is off at college.
    6) A much-needed Netflix and chill Friday night with Daisy.
    7) Spending yesterday afternoon wandering around Portland with an old friend who was in town for a short visit.
    7.5) Getting to see a gorgeous sunset from a scenic spot – the weather was perfect.
    7.8) Saga and her Sword making headlines again.

    Have a great week everyone!

         by Rachel October 21st, 2018 at 3:59 pm

  5. I read The Poet X and Hey, Kiddo this week. Both of them stunned me with their brilliance. Eighteen MG in the past couple of months. Blue by Laura Vaccaro Seeger is beautiful.

         by Margie Culver October 21st, 2018 at 5:16 pm

  6. Little Willow, break a leg, AS ALWAYS!

    Rachel: She is making headlines again? I missed that! I’ll have to look it up. … I love your kicks. They are full of all good things — family, sunsets, friends, AUTUMN! (We are actually getting Autumn weather too.)

    Margie, I reeeeally want to read The Poet X. I’ve heard the audio is amazing too. Maybe I’ll do that? I love the other books you name too.

    Have a good week, you all!

         by jules October 22nd, 2018 at 9:10 am

Leave a Comment


Should you have trouble posting, please contact sevenimp_blaine@blaine.org. Thanks.