CHARLOTTE IN GIVERNY

A fictional diary captures the Giverny of 1892 through the eyes of its little-girl owner, in this charmingly constructed conceit. In a format full of illustrations of famous Impressionist paintings, winsome watercolors, and collage bits of ribbon, lace, flower petals, and cards labeled with their French names, we read about Charlotte’s visit to France. She writes about her voyage from Boston, her stay at the Baudy Hotel, the French gardener and maid, her neighbors and her tutor. She is fascinated by the glimpsed courtship of Theodore Butler and Suzanne, the daughter of Monet, who lives nearby. Other more or less well-known American Impressionists pass through Giverny and Charlotte’s journal: William Merritt Chase; John Singer Sargent; Lilla Cabot Perry; and Mariquita Gill. A lot of information about life in Giverny and about painting en plein air is imparted painlessly in a font resembling very neat handwriting. The illustrations are simply irresistible. Linnea in Monet’s Garden focuses on that artist and his splendid creations; this would make a natural pairing with it. Credits for the reproductions, brief biographical sketches of all the artists, and an author’s note are appended. (Historical fiction. 9-13)