Major exhibition to be held at Versailles during spring 2008 to celebrate the life of Marie Antoinette Sophia Coppola's film of Marie Antoinette's life was released in 2006
Lynn Cullen is the author of picture books and novels - including the historical novel I Am Rembrandt's Daughter (published by Bloomsbury). She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Author website at www.lynncullen.comAmy Young trained as a fine artist at Yale and received an MFA in painting from Indiana University. She then went on to earn a law degree from Harvard and worked as a lawyer for several years. Amy now devotes herself to writing and illustrating full time, and is the creator of the popular Belinda picture books. Visit her at www.amylyoung.com
Loosely based on a true story, this picture book chronicles the French queen's journey from an Austrian girlhood to royal motherhood, as narrated by her beloved canine companion. Perhaps in an attempt to better the reputation conferred on Marie Antoinette, Cullen (The Mightiest Heart) puts a human face on this historic figure. S?bastien the pug, aka "Moi," peppers the tales of his mistress's adventures with witty asides. Upon learning that Antoinette (as her family calls her) will become queen, he jests, "This news was not as exciting as tender morsels of chicken, but I would have to make do." His self-centeredness is not unlike a child who demands 100% attention from his caretaker. While Moi maintains his presence throughout Antoinette's life, he is mostly left to his own devices, as his mistress becomes too caught up in her responsibilities to pay him much attention. Once Moi ultimately forges a relationship with Antoinette's daughter, he no longer feels like that forgotten child. As in Young's books about Belinda the ballerina, her portraits of the heroine here strike just the right balance between disciplined and playful, so Antoinette always seems approachable, and Moi's loss of playmate the more poignant. The detailed illustrations, especially of Antoinette's and Moi's faces, help convey the many emotions of the parent-child relationship in this rather lengthy read. The result is a softer picture of a queen whom many believe ruled with an iron fist. Ages 5-9. (Oct.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
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