“Ladies of Light and Ladies of Darkness, and Ladies of Never-You-Mind, this is a prayer for a Blueberry Girl. First, may you ladies be kind.” Thus begins Neil Gaiman’s Blueberry Girl, a wonderful, lyrical celebration of girlhood and the most precious parts of being human.

Written as a poem for a friend’s unborn daughter, Neil Gaiman’s text begs blessings for a young girl from a trail of ethereal Ladies. He implores them to grant her clearness of sight, wisdom, and bravery; he writes, “Her joys must be high as her sorrows are deep. Let her grow like a weed in the sun.” The breathtaking imagery of Gaiman’s words are perfectly complemented by Charles Vess’ radiant illustrations. Girls tumble, run, and dance across the pages, and each seems to answer Gaiman’s plea that she “trust and delight in her youth”.

As a young woman, Gaiman’s words only become more precious to me as a grow older. My favorite part of the poem is the last stanza:

“Truth is a thing she must find for herself,
precious, and rare as a pearl;
Give her all these, and a little bit more,
Gifts for a Blueberry Girl.”

This book is truly a pearl in itself, one to be treasured by Blueberry Girls and their families alike.

Recommended for readers of all ages.