The Bird in Me Flies

April 6, 2020
Gracefully translated by Epstein, this illustrated biography of Swedish painter Berta Hansson (1910–1994) traces a rural childhood that twines tragedy with the burning desire to create art. Berta loves to draw, but she lives on a farm, where art is a luxury not to be thought of—especially since her mother is bedridden with tuberculosis. The family doctor recognizes Berta’s talent, but her father dismisses it. She considers her future with only scraps of inspiration—a Sistine Chapel picture from her uncle, paintings glimpsed through
a window. In verse and dozens of poignant, intimate gouaches, Lundberg shows Berta’s family at their tasks, the countryside around their farm, and images of Berta drawing and molding clay, forming small bird shapes that symbolize her readiness to take flight. Lundberg’s handsome biography of self-discovery remembers an artist who came to know without a doubt who she was meant to be. Ages 9–12.

April 15, 2020
Swedish artist Berta Hansson grows up on a farm and finds it stifling in this fictionalized account. In 1920s Sweden, a family farm requires a lot of work. Everyone pitches in except Mama, in bed with tuberculosis. Berta covers Mama's sickroom wall with drawings and makes birds of clay for her; it is achingly painful that she and Mama can't hug for fear of contagion. Berta wants to be a bird herself, to "fly off. / Away from our village-- / to something else. / To a place where I could be myself"--to stop doing farmwork and housework, and to make art all the time. Even as a job--and even though she's a girl. Viewing a reproduction of Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam, Berta relates to Eve, who's "waiting for her turn to come / into existence. To be seen. To come alive." Lundberg's full-color, page-filling paintings make this verse novel a picture book. They are damp and moody, the colors dark and tertiary, the shapes full of shadows and stark angles. Some faces are jarringly rouged, with red noses, like Hansson's real-life work. Cold and hot temperatures emanate from the pages. Beauty pours from close-ups of Berta's hands, in pink-peach-gray watercolor shadings and exquisite lines. Papa insists Berta become a housewife, but at roughly age 17, this budding artist stages a coup by burning a pot of soup--and gets herself sent off to art school. An afterword by Swedish journalist Alexandra Sundqvist adds biographical details; unfortunately, the backmatter includes only two Hansson reproductions. Melancholy and moving. (sources, references, photos) (Picture book/historical verse fiction. 7-12)

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Starred review from May 15, 2020
Grades 3-6 *Starred Review* Berta Hansson defied early twentieth-century societal expectations in order to become a beloved Swedish artist, and in this illustrated novel in verse, Lundberg lovingly explores the road taken to get there. Berta grows up in a practical farm home, looking after the household while caring for her ailing mother, but she chafes at the idea of rural life, longing to escape the countryside and pursue her artistic passions. Her kind but pragmatic father insists that she remain home, and it takes a quiet act of courage and resistance for Berta to break free. The text itself is often spare and melancholy, translated beautifully from the original Swedish by Epstein, but it's also infused with intimacy and familial warmth. The striking illustrations?of gouache, aquarelle, and collage?reflect the emotional journey, switching between warm, rosy tones and darker, muted palettes, depending on the situation. Berta's own artwork is fit into the illustrations as art-within-art, giving readers a peek into her psyche and burgeoning talent. Despite the somber tone, it's not a gloomy story. Thanks to the colors and textures of Berta's artwork, there is hope even within the bleakest moments, and this spirit carries Berta to places she never dreamed. An illuminating afterword includes lovely photographs of Berta and examples of her words and art?a satisfying conclusion to the story of a remarkable life.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

August 1, 2020

Gr 2-6-This fictionalized biography depicts Swedish artist Berta Hansson's childhood. Told in verse, the text chronicles the events leading up to Hansson's departure from her village as a young woman in 1927. Hansson wanted to continue her education and pursue her interest in art; she was expected to stay and help with the family farm until she got married. Her passion for art, however, couldn't be suppressed. Hansson's uncle, who was a painter himself, inspired his niece. The family doctor, who noted and nurtured Hansson's talents, also supported her. Ultimately, her father gave her permission to leave the farm and embark on an art career. The illustrations, done in gouache, collage and watercolor, add context and detail to the story, allowing for the passage of time and change of place without explicitly naming these transitions. The power of Hansson's story comes through the matter-of-fact first-person narration (informed by her diaries) and is enhanced by Lundberg's illustrations, which echo Hansson's art. A lengthy afterword continues and completes the details of Hansson's journey to becoming a prominent expressionist; photographs and original artwork are included. VERDICT Anyone who has cultivated a dream that defies societal demands and cultural expectations will appreciate this affecting story of a young girl's struggle to achieve her creative aspirations. Recommended for larger collections to supplement artist biographies.-Lynn Van Auken, Oak Bluffs Sch., MA

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