Published Work
Available wherever books are sold
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- Title: A Perfect Fit: How Lena “Lane” Bryant Changed the Shape of Fashion
- Publisher: Clarion Books
- Release Date: April 12, 2022
- Author: Mara Rockliff
- Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
- Age Level: 4-7, 32 pages
- ISBN: 978-0-358-12543-3
Discover how the Lane Bryant clothing brand changed the way we buy clothes forever by celebrating bodies of all shapes and sizes in this inclusive picture book biography of a Lithuanian immigrant with a brilliant eye for fashion and business. With stunning artwork from Sibert medalist Juana Martinez-Neal.
Lena came to America with nothing but a dream—and an exceptional ability to drape and snip and stitch. She never used a pattern or a tape measure, but every dress she sewed turned out to be a perfect fit.
Then, one day, a customer presented her with a new challenge. Could she design a stylish, comfortable gown for a body shape that did not meet the current standards of fashion?
Lena took the challenge. Under the company name Lane Bryant, she became famous for flattering and modish clothing designed for all different shapes and sizes. The world of fashion would never be the same.
★ 2023 Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year
★ 2023 Booklist from Rise: A Feminist Book Project Nonfiction
★ 2022 Society of Illustrators Original Art Selection
★ 2022 Cybils Nonfiction
★ 2022 Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth
★ 2022 Nerdies Nonfiction Picture Books
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- Booklist – Booklist Editors Choice: Books for Youth, 2022
- Cybils 2022 Nonfiction
- SLJ Fuse 8 – 31 Days, 31 Lists: 2022 Unique Biographies for Kids
- ALA Booklist for Rise: A Feminist Book Project – Nonfiction
- Bank Street College of Education – Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2023
★ Rockliff’s marvelous story highlights a refreshingly unfamiliar face, and the text is bursting with action and cheer. The soft illustrations, rendered in subtle shades but dazzling detail, are replete with gorgeous, textured nods to art nouveau stylings and golden Klimt paintings. An elegant ode to a delightfully different kind of designer who wanted fine fashion accessible to all, not just a privileged few. —Starred review
Measured prose and sepia-textured pages—filled with velvety drawings of flowing fabric, Gibson Girl hairdos, and elaborate gowns—suit the historical moment, while making Bryant’s contributions to feminist fashion always evident.
The accessible and engaging text is brought to life by the delightful illustrations. Using mostly sepia tones with pops of color, they convey an old-fashioned era, but with clever details, plump humans, and delightful textiles and patterns that leave readers wanting more (…) This biography deftly covers the highlights of Bryant’s life in an enjoyable and accessible manner, a one-of-a-kind origin story of a retail success whose foundations were based on helping others feel great.