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WORK TITLE: HELLO
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WEBSITE: https://violawangstudio.com
CITY: London, England
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COUNTRY: United Kingdom
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The Horn Book Magazine vol. 100 no. 1 Jan.-Feb., 2024. Weileen Wang, “Hello: How Nuwa Created the World.”. p. 105.
Kirkus Reviews Dec. 1, 2023, , “Wang, Viola: HELLO.”. p. NA.
Booklist vol. 117 no. 4 Oct. 15, 2020, Graham, Emily. , “White Fox: Dilah and the Moon Stone.”. p. 56.
School Librarian vol. 72 no. 2 summer 2024 p. 56. Gale , Librarian. Hamilton, Erin. , “The Brilliant Brain.”. p. 56.
Viola Wang is a children's book author and illustrator. Born in China, Viola graduated from Tsinghua University with a major in oil painting. She then moved to London, where she completed masters in animation and illustration while working as a graphic designer. Viola is also a graduate of the Children's Book Illustration MA at Cambridge School of Art, and a winner of the Sebastian Walker Award.
Growing up in a family of printers, Viola developed a profound interest in printmaking, which has been a significant influence on her own practice. She is now working on her own authored/illustrated books with Hachette Publishing. Her work focuses on diversity and inclusion and aims to empower children through picture books.
Viola was born and raised in Beijing, China. After completing her first degree in oil painting, she moved to London. During her ten years here, she has studied further degrees and worked as a Graphic Designer. Viola recently completed the Children’s Book Illustration MA at Cambridge School of Art, before going on to win the Sebastian Walker Award, and is now very excited to begin her new career as a children’s book author/ illustrator. She loves the multicultural environment in London and is fascinated by the people she meets here, to the point where diversity and equality have become her main focus – understanding where we come from and learning about other cultures.
Hello: How Nuwa Created the World
by Viola Wang; illus. by the author
Primary Little Bee 40 pp.
2/24 9781499814927 $18.99
e-book ed. 9781499814934 $9.99
This story (inspired by the Chinese myth of Nuwa, who crafted humankind) takes readers and listeners on a journey back to a time "when the world was still young," with Nuwa as the sole inhabitant yearning for a simple yet profound thing: someone to say "hello" to. After reaching out to the creatures around her with no response, she felt sad and "cried for three whole days," creating a gigantic puddle around her. She then molds a new friend from the mud, and they greet each other with a heartfelt "hello." Nuwa continues, creating more friends who spread across the world, building "homes and farms and cities" and raising their own families. This leads to a double-page spread with people saying "hello," each in a different language. The concise narrative beautifully conveys Nuwa's longing for companionship. The illustrations, rendered in bold neon colors, particularly a vibrant pink, bring this world playfully to life. This heartwarming and visually captivating book emphasizes the significance of reaching out and forging connections and underscores the enduring importance of communication and community.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
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Wang, Weileen. "Hello: How Nuwa Created the World." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 100, no. 1, Jan.-Feb. 2024, p. 105. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A781187794/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=96416bdc. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Wang, Viola HELLO Little Bee Books (Children's None) $18.99 2, 13 ISBN: 9781499814927
Wang breathes new life into the story of the Chinese goddess of creation.
Nüwa, said to have molded humans out of mud, is commonly portrayed as a grown woman with a serpent's body. Here, Wang portrays her as a pixie-size girl with black pointy hair and brown skin. The simple narrative reveals that "when the world was still young," Nüwa was the only human. "She was happy, singing and dancing among the plants and animals." Yet not one of the creatures responds when she says hello. Upset, she cries out to the universe, hoping for someone to talk to. No one replies. Stricken, Nüwa cries for three days, and a huge puddle forms from her tears. Running her hands through the mud, she creates a tiny, pink-skinned person, who finally greets her with a hello. After a fun-filled day introducing her new friend to her world, the person asks for more friends. Nüwa happily obliges, creating people of different colors who eventually spread out and build homes, cities, and families. Coming full circle, the narrator tells us that when people are lonely, all they have to do is say hello; on the next spread, we see the word hello in various languages. Busy, appealing illustrations teem with movement, while the completely black or white backdrops to each page create a stark contrast to the engaging animals, bugs, flora, and patterns rendered in a bright neon palette.
Eye-popping illustrations bring the charm in this novel folktale retelling. (Picture book/folktale. 5-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Wang, Viola: HELLO." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A774415134/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=920e7c92. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
White Fox: Dilah and the Moon Stone. By Chen Jiatong. Illus. by Viola Wang. Tr. by Jennifer Feeley. Oct. 2020.288p. Scholastic/Chicken House, $17.99 (9781338635379). Gr. 4-7.
Dilah, a young Arctic fox, appreciates life with his adoring parents but can't help being drawn to the curious lives of nearby humans with their cozy houses, food, and apparent fearlessness. If only foxes could become human! After Dilah's parents are attacked, his dying mother reveals that a magical treasure might exist to grant his wish, and the newly orphaned cub takes off on a perilous journey, pursued by others who seek the same treasure and encountering a host of animal characters along the way. Feeley's translation from the original Chinese reads beautifully, the rich imagery effortlessly building the wild world, reinforced by Wang's darling spot illustrations. Readers should be cautioned that there is real danger and death present here, though the occasional bleakness is always accompanied by hope and a reminder that human power should be used for good. The emphasis on forged friendships, the power of untapped courage, and the rewards and perils of independence offer plenty of food for thought, and an abrupt cliff-hanger ending will leave readers hungry for the coming sequel. --Emily Graham
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Graham, Emily. "White Fox: Dilah and the Moon Stone." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 4, 15 Oct. 2020, p. 56. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A639876276/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d1e97630. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.
Farooki, Dr Roopa, illustrated by Viola Wang
The Brilliant Brain
Walker, 2024, 32pp, [pounds sterling]12.99, 9781529504507
Biology. Human Body. Science
A thought-provoking book for young readers around the brain and how it works. The brain is a complex centre of the human body but it is not always easy to understand. Dr Roopa Farooki has set the workings and parts out brilliantly. Simply explained, the brain makes more sense now. Children will love learning about the technical terms used to describe different areas that have different jobs. Things we quickly take for granted are explained and shared. The excellent visuals and illustrations in this book help to form clear images of what nerves do and how messages are sent to and from the brain. An excellent resource for young readers!
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
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Hamilton, Erin. "The Brilliant Brain." School Librarian, vol. 72, no. 2, summer 2024, p. 56. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A800697498/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=78c41473. Accessed 3 Aug. 2024.