YIPPEE!!! What a wonderful way to start the month of August!!! And I’m so very happy that you all are joining me here for the unveiling of a new picture book cover!!! Author Donna Cangelosi is a dear friend and I am thrilled and honored to help celebrate this fabulous book, illustrated by the talented Elisa Paganelli.
Oh my gosh! I absolutely LOVE this cover! It totally draws me in and makes me want to open the book and start reading!
And how lucky are we? Donna stopped by to share a bit about the book and also the story behind the story.
ME: Welcome, dear Donna! Thank you so much for agreeing to tell us about the book…and how it came to be.
DONNA: Hi Vivian…thanks for having me and helping to celebrate the fabulous cover of my newest book.
Light, Letters, and Love : How Jo van Gogh Saved Vincent’s Paintings for the World
Written by: Donna Cangelosi
Illustrated by: Elisa Paganelli
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Release date: March 16, 2027
Thank you, Vivian for helping me share the cover of this special book with the world! Here’s a little bit about the book...
Summary:
Vincent van Gogh’s priceless paintings, bursting with swirling colors changed the world of art. Today, he is one of the most beloved artists of all time and his paintings are admired in every corner of the world. But few people know that one woman spent her life championing Vincent’s artwork. Jo van Gogh was Theo’s wife and Vincent’s sister-in-law. She channeled her grief after their deaths into a campaign to ensure that van Gogh’s artwork received the recognition it deserved.
This heartfelt picture book is about loss, hope, persistence, and lifting others. It captures the bond between family members, the healing powers of art, and shows how challenges can be transformed into beauty.
What inspired me to write this book:
I’ve always loved Vincent van Gogh’s art and knew that I wanted to write a picture book about him. But after reading Barb Rosenstock’s beautiful picture book, Vincent Can’t Sleep, I realized it can’t get better than that, so I let go of the idea. Then, in April 2021, I came upon an article in The New York Times Magazine, “The Woman Who Made van Gogh!” Before I even read the entire article, I knew I had to write a story to shine a light on Jo, the way she shined her light on Vincent. I jotted down a sentence, “Without Jo, there would be no van Gogh.” And from that moment, you could say Jo moved in with me.
A challenge I faced on the path to publication:
Soon after Jo moved in, Vincent arrived as well. So, I used a parallel structure to write the story. After many revisions, the original version went on submission and every editor passed. I then had a professional critique, and the editor suggested that I try rewriting the story about Jo, weaving Vincent’s struggles into the plot. Ouch! Cut Vincent? I’ve cut sentences and spreads and all sorts of darlings, but this was a hard one. It was half of my manuscript. I put the story aside for a while and thought about it. But it didn’t take long to realize I had to give it a try. With my renewed clarity, I rewrote the story and Jo’s struggles, passion, determination, and accomplishments came through. This also helped me get to the takeaway for kids—to shine their light on others the way Jo shined hers on Vincent.
ME: Thank you so much, Donna. We always love to hear what inspired the books we fall in love with…and I have a feeling that there will be many who fall in love with this one.
And, dear friends, here is a little bit about the creators of this book.
Donna Cangelosi is a children’s book author and psychologist. She spent her career counseling children in schools, clinics, and her psychology practice and now, she also writes stories to inspire and uplift them. Donna enjoys writing about people who made the world a better place and the wonders of childhood, animals, and nature. She is the author of Mister Rogers’ Gift of Music. When she’s not writing, Donna loves exploring nature and traveling. She has journeyed far and wide to see Vincent van Gogh’s magnificent masterpieces and thanks Jo each time she encounters one. https://www.donnacangelosi.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnacangelosi2
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/donnacangelosi.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donna.cangelosi.5/
Elisa Paganelli is an Italian illustrator and creative designer born in Modena, Italy, and based in Buckinghamshire, UK. With a background in advertising and over 20 years in the creative field, she creates illustrations for picture books, middle- grade fiction, and cover art. Her work includes bestselling and award-winning titles such as the Greenwild series, the Adventures on Trains series, The House with Chicken Legs, and books by Ben Miller, among others. Elisa finds inspiration in nature, quiet moments, books, and long walks with her dog Miranda. Her curiosity for psychology and human experience influences the warmth, empathy, and storytelling behind her work. https://elisapaganelli.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/elisapaganelli_illustration
Twitter: https://twitter.com/elisaupsidedown
AND NOW, BECAUSE I KNOW MANY OF YOU WILL WANT TO GRAB YOUR OWN COPY AND HELP THIS BOOK BECOME A SUCCESS…HERE ARE SOME PRE-ORDER LINKS:
LIGHT, LETTERS, & LOVE Preorder links:
Indie: https://bookshop.org/p/books/light-letters-and-love-how-jo-van-gogh-saved-
vincent-s-paintings-for-the-world-donna-
cangelosi/34dd069b7223319e?ean=9781534113862&bkshp-astro=t
Barnes & Nobles:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/light-letters-and-love-donna-
cangelosi/1150827430?ean=9781534113862
Thank you, dear friends, for spending your precious time with us. I hope you have a wonderful August! As you’ve probably noticed, I’ve stepped back a bit from blogging…but we have a couple of posts coming up this month…and a bunch in September…so please stay tuned.
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 