'Elisabeth loves to paint, just like her papa. She spends hours making her own pictures of everything she sees - and the more colourful, the better!
'But when she goes away to school, she finds herself in a world of grey: grey buildings, grey uniforms, grey rooms. She misses Papa and all the colours of home. And one winter morning, she gets some terrible news that makes her days darker than ever before. Will Elisabeth be able to find the colour and joy in her life again?
'A touching tale about friendship, family and finding joy in the darkest of times. Inspired by the childhood of French portrait artist Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun.'
The Barrington Stoke line of short reads labelled Little Gems have been really great reads so far. Short, punchy, and filled with gorgeous illustrations, these young reader books have been a delight to read every time; and Elizabeth and the Box of Colours is no exception to this rule.
The story follows the real world figure of Elizaeth Louise Vigée Le Brun in a fictionalised account of her childhood in France in the 1700's. Born to a loving family in a large home in Paris, Elizabeth is exposed to art from a young age thanks to her father, who is himself an artist. He allows the young Elizabeth to play in his studio, using his pencils, his pains, and anything she might wish, to practice her own drawing skills. Straight away it's clear that Elizabeth has a strong connection to art, not just because of her father, but because it's the best way she has to express herself.
One day, her life if forever changed when Elizabeth is sent away to school, far from her family home. This school, run by nuns, sees to be the exact opposite of what Elizabeth needs in order to survive. The buildings, the decor, and even the clothing, is drab and grey and without colour. When Elizabeth has her art supplies taken away from her she's left with no choice but to sneak and steal, practising her art in private, lest it be taken away by the nuns.
Her fellow students discover her artistic skill, and encourage her to make art for them all, helping to keep her hobby a secret. But when Elizabeth is given the terrible news that her father has died, she suddenly feels unable to make any more art. With the colour having gone out of her world, Elizabeth isn't sure how to go on.
Despite being slightly fictionalised, with notes in the back of the book informing readers how the real Elizabeth's story differed from this one, the central story of Elizabeth and the Box of Colours is still really important. You see, the book isn't just teaching young readers about one of France's greatest portrait artists, but is giving them a valuable lesson about always pursuing the things you love. Throughout the story Elizabeth is told that art is a wast of her time, that it isn't allowed, and that she should stop what she's doing. And each and every time Elizabeth refuses.
The book is showing children that sometimes you'll be told that the thing you're passionate about is a waste, that it's frivolous and unimportant, and that sometimes you need to tell those people 'no'. It's a lesson that I think we often forget to give our children, that when they've been told time and time again to always listen to adults, to obey authority, it can sometimes be the better thing to turn your back on those who would try to stop you living your dream, simply because it's something they don't quite understand.
Being a book about art, the nook is filled with wonderful illustrations by Rebecca Cobb. Cobb has a very simple style, one that feels like it could have been illustrated by a young artist, and as such it really fits the story being told here. It feels like Elizabeth could have been the one illustration her own story, and the bright, vibrant colours help the images to leap off the page.
Elizabeth and the Box of Colours is a wonderful short story, one that has a good message inside its pages, and one that I think a lot of children are going to enjoy.
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