Stitching Science

  

Stitching Science / Lauren Wright Vartanian & Keltie Thomas
Richmond Hill, ON: Firefly Books, c2024.
64 p.

I have something very special for you today! This is a book that is a wonderful blend of science and art. It's an alphabet book of scientific topics, all illustrated with hand-stitched images by Lauren Wright Vartanian, an artist who is fairly local to me. 

I watched this book's development on IG, as Vartanian began her stitching during lockdown. These are two of my favourite topics so I was thrilled when it was picked up as a book. The detailed embroideries are photographed very well, with large pages and clear, crisp photos that let you see the elements of each one. There is even a section at the end of closeups of some of the smaller details so you can really appreciate the handwork. 

Topics range from A to Z (haha, it is an alphabet book after all!). Vartanian got creative to find something for each letter, and while X is X-Ray as it often is in alphabet books, in this one it really makes sense to include this scientific discovery. Also, the image for this one is one of my favourites in the book, with the layered organza to represent the see through hand - and it's used on the cover because it is so striking. There are many others that are also stunning and creative and help you see things a little differently. If you want to see many, many of the interior images, check out Vartanian's website with her announcement about the book - so good! 

This is marketed as a children's book but I would say it's a middle grade read at least. Each topic has a one page essay about the scientific principle under discussion. Text was written by Keltie Thomas, and it complements the images well. It's thorough but not overwhelming for a younger reader.

Adults will enjoy this as much as younger readers, and might appreciate the skill in the illustrations a little more as well! I hope that reading this will spur interest among readers in both science and in embroidery. I think it's a gorgeous read that shows how well science and art work together to educate and inspire. 

If you're also in Ontario, you can see the original artwork exhibited at the Idea Exchange in Cambridge, on until March 30,. 2025. 

(this review first appeared at Following the Thread)

Stars & Poppy Seeds

 

Stars & Poppy Seeds / Romana Romanyshyn & Andriy Lesiv
trans. from the Ukrainian by Oksana Lushchevska
London: Tate, 2019, c2014.
32 p.

This gorgeous picture book got me excited about sharing my reading again! I've been reading quite a lot but haven't had the oomph to sit down and write about things. This lovely little book is worth sharing, though. I picked it up because I saw it mentioned in a discussion of Ukrainian books, something I've been spending a lot of my reading time on lately. And fortunately my library system bought a copy! 

It's the story of Flora, a young girl who loves to count. She counts the stars in the sky, the grains of sand in the beach, poppy seeds, polka dots and pearls. She counts everything. The book is a joyous celebration of numbers, counting and astronomy, all together. And the illustrations are so beautiful. The authors are also the founders of Art Studio Agrafka where they've done some gorgeous book work.

The book has a collage style, with a vintage feel. There are many details in the images that I spent time examining. This is the kind of book I would have loved as a child myself - magical, detailed and about stars. And featuring a wonderful female main character. 

There is one page when Flora plays hopscotch with the moon on a string, and she's wearing a dress that is quite similar to a dress I've made myself. 

And another of my favourite images is when Flora finds herself by a lake and starts wondering about how many drops of water there are in the world -- the text states that she is walking home through a labyrinth of streets, and the illustration feels like a manuscript, showing a classical labyrinth that is properly drawn and 'walkable' with your finger. So wonderful! 

image via Art Studio Agrafka

This book is pretty much perfect for me; it includes math, stars, creative illustrations, Ukrainian writers, and a labyrinth. As you can tell, I was enchanted by it. Recommended if you also love these things!