LIKE A DIAMOND IN THE SKY

The tale of a woman who captured the night sky.

Straightforward, informative text with a touch of lyricism illuminates the life story of Jane Taylor, the English romantic poet. Beginning with her unique education as a child, the story relays how Taylor grew up to work in the publishing industry and earn her keep as an accomplished children’s author while finding solace and inspiration in nature. The use of the derogatory term bluestocking to describe women of the era who “read too much, knew too much, and wrote too much” is addressed. Despite countless rejections from publishers and early-19th-century gender mores that barred her from publishing under her own name, Taylor blossomed through perseverance and dedication, ultimately penning the literary work for which she is best known—a poem called “The Star.” Only one line of the poem appears within the text, so readers will have to connect the dots to understand that “The Star” and the well-known nursery rhyme “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” are one and the same; however, the full text of the nursery rhyme is included (along with the sheet music) in the backmatter. Enhanced with homespun gouache illustrations, Brown’s luminous portrait of a literary life will inspire budding writers and encourage an appreciation of the beauty of the night sky. All characters are White.

An appealing portrayal of a female poet, her creativity, and her time.