One of Flavorwire‘s 20 Most Beautiful Children’s Books of All Time
“Rarely are [the] contradictions [of childhood] more vibrantly or delicately explored than in Vivaldi . . . Award-winning poet Helge Torvund playfully and artfully blurs the lines between verse and prose, distilling for the reader the magic and loneliness in Tyra’s daily life. Some passages, like the one where Tyra names her cat, that are startlingly beautiful. . . . [Vivaldi] is a children’s book of uncommon wisdom, creativity, and tenderness. There’s something for everyone in Tyra’s story.” —Hannah Bulger, Children’s Books Ireland
“The text . . . is lyrical, at times gently humorous and at others poignant, yet ultimately life-affirming. Strong lines and bold shapes in a striking array of muted colors create the groundwork for compelling illustrations. . . . Created by an award-winning author-and-illustrator duo, this long-format picture book with a compact trim is a shorter, more visual read-alike for R.J. Palacio’s Wonder (2012) and other books about kindness and compassion. . . . This quiet, contemplative story explores the beautiful, complex internal lives of children.” —Kirkus
“I barely know where to begin—Mari’s illustration is like a party where the dress code is eyeballs. Her style is so discernible it’s as if we can see inside her head, and her head is being used as a basket to carry marshmallows and dumplings to an evening picnic with some polar bears.” —Liv Siddall, It’s Nice That
