It’s not very often that you find a poetry picture book that is a biography about a little known poet and it’s written by a current poet who is able to capture the cadence of the first poet!

DREAM A DRESS, DREAM A POEM is a gorgeous biographical picture book all about Myra Viola Wilds. She had dreams of being a dressmaker, but became blind from the grueling work. Yet creativity must find an outlet and she did, in the form of poetry. She had a book of poems published in 1915.

Her story alone is fascinating, but the author, Nancy Johnson James, managed to write this biography in a lyrical poem that somehow managed to capture Viola’s poetic cadence! How magnificent! It is truly a gift to hear the music found within words like this. And the illustrations by Diana Ejaita are magnificent! If you somehow managed to miss the interview with Nancy when it was first posted, you can read it here.

And if you’re looking for more poetry fun this month, be sure to check out the Kidlitosphere Event Roundup!  Thank you for stopping by!