THE BOY WHO BECAME A PARROT

A fitting portrait of the creator of nonsensical foolishness.

After his parents fall “on hard times,” young Edward Lear (1812-1888), the 20th child in a big family, is sent to live with his older siblings. Amid this nurturing environment, he explores his creativity while dealing with his “Demon”—chronic epilepsy. By age 20, he’s in high demand throughout England as a talented natural history artist, but he feels like an outsider due to his humble origins and his Demon. His work documenting the Earl of Derby’s private collection of animals and his interactions with the earl’s young visitors inspire some of his most famous written works for children. After traveling the world, yearning for companionship, he settles down with his beloved feline; both would die months apart, embodied in a stunning spread with Lear slowly transforming into the titular bird from “The Owl and the Pussycat” as he flies to his grave. Though playful, Hill’s lengthy text may find a more receptive audience among adults interested in the history of children’s literature. While young readers will find Lear a sympathetic figure, they may not entirely understand his frustration with marriage and relationships (“Such odd couplings could only happen in the world of nonsense”) or his feelings of alienation in restrictive Victorian society. Still, Hill’s writing complements Carlin’s ethereal illustrations, creating a fanciful world full of wonder and nonsensical imagery.

A lovingly unique tribute to a master of whimsicality.