Book Review of Dressing Up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head
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The Children’s Book Review

Written by Jeanne Walker Harvey

Illustrated by Diana Toledano

Ages 3-8 | 40 Pages

Publisher: Beach Lane Books | ISBN-13: 9781534451056

What to Expect: History, biography, goals and dreams, fashion, celebrity

Few people can resist the fascination of movies, Hollywood, and film stars, but even fewer spend much time thinking about what goes on behind the scenes. Set in the golden age of classic Hollywood, Dressing Up the Stars tells the true story of one of the women who helped make the magic happen.

Edith Head loved nothing more than dressing up anyone and anything she could find in amazing costumes and outfits she designed herself. When she lived in the desert as a child, it was hard to find subjects to work on, and she would create costumes for the cacti, horned toads, and donkeys. Later, working in a film studio, she had to prove her ability by creating costumes for fractious film animals and haughty film stars. However, Edith persevered and followed her dreams. Her hard work paid off— she would go on to win the coveted Academy Award for Best Costume Design!

Significantly, Jeanne Walker Harvey’s retelling of Edith Head’s life focuses less on the glamour of Hollywood and more on the challenges she overcame to follow her dreams. Dressing Up the Stars offers readers an important illustration of the lesson that success is about perseverance as much as it is about talent. Beautiful, expansive, unframed images evoke the fast pace of Hollywood life and show Edith fitting into her chosen setting on her terms. In the final pages, an Author’s Note digs deeper into Edith’s biography and provides a reading list for readers who want to know more.

Dressing Up the Stars is instructive and inspirational, perfect for fans of film, celebrities, and Hollywood.

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About the Author

Jeanne Walker Harvey studied literature and psychology at Stanford University and has worn many job hats, ranging from being a roller coaster ride operator to an attorney, a middle school language arts teacher, and a long-time docent for school groups at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She is the author of several books for young readers, including the picture book biographies Dressing up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head, Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas, and Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines. Jeanne lives in Northern California.

Visit her online at www.jeanneharvey.com.

About the Illustrator

Diana Toledano is an illustrator, writer, and educator. She is also a Pisces who loves children’s books, patterns, and dancing her heart out. Originally from Spain, Diana (pronounced the Spanish way: dee-ah-na) grew up in Madrid where she studied art history and illustration. Now she lives in San Francisco with her husband and two fluffy cats. Her mixed media art seeks to capture the magic of the ordinary. Diana’s product designs, picture books, board books, and chapter books have been published and sold all over the world. Diana also teaches workshops for kids and adults. She enjoys doing school visits and speaking at conferences.

Learn more at Diana-Toledano.com.

Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored, non-biased review of Dressing Up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head, by Jeanne Walker Harvey. Learn more about getting a book review …