In 2020, Cressona artist Valeria Wicker made a dream come true when she published her debut children’s picture book, “The Ugly Doodles.”
Emboldened by its success, she set out to write another, called “The Knight Snacker,” and was stunned when it won even more acclaim.
Released in October by JIMMY Patterson Books, a Little, Brown and Co. imprint, Wicker’s sophomore effort has made waves in the children’s book industry, with critics complimenting its unique art style and narrative.
“It’s gone beyond all expectations,” Wicker said.
Among the book’s accolades, she said, is a starred review from the School Library Journal — a prestigious honor for children’s authors.
“I was really happy with that. … It’s a huge deal in the publishing world,” Wicker said. “It makes it easier for a book to be shown in schools.”
A review in November by Mary R. Lanni resulted in this verdict, as posted on the journal’s website: “This entertaining story is an excellent selection for reading aloud with young children.”
School Library Journal reviews editor Shelley Diaz described its monthly “starred books” as those that “change lives. The ones that burrow themselves into the hearts of the young people you serve. The books that have staying power.”
Also, Wicker was notified that her book will become part of the Scholastic Book Fair catalog this coming fall, when it’ll be introduced directly to students.
“It’s going to be nationwide, in every book fair catalog in every school district,” she said. “So, I’m really, really proud of that accomplishment.”
Though marketed in some outlets as a “spooky” book fit for Halloween, “The Knight Snacker” is a universal tale that examines fears of the dark and the unfamiliar.
Illustrated in Wicker’s signature “spooky-cute” style, the story portrays a picky eater named Sir Julian, who must conquer his dislike of dark spaces to sate his unbearable hunger.
Sir Julian finds himself in a pickle when, for his supper, his mother serves up an unappetizing green muck that she calls Fusion Fondue.
He refuses to eat it, which leaves him with irrepressible cravings come bedtime.
“He is into knight-y stuff, and dragons, and conquering quests,” Wicker said. “By the time he gets ready for bed, he realizes he’s starving, so he decides to go out on a quest, in the dark, to grab a snack from the kitchen.”
The boy, pretending to be a knight, makes a heroic trek, only to realize there are no snacks left. The fridge is barren, save for a pot of leftover fondue.
At the end, Sir Julian is so famished that he has no choice but to try the dish — and finds, to his great surprise, that he likes it.
“He wishes that he would’ve known how good it was when it was time to eat supper,” Wicker said.
“The Knight Snacker” showcases Wicker’s trademark art style, featuring stylized, goth-inspired drawings with dramatic lighting and muted colors.
Wicker said the story was partly inspired by her experience raising kids.
“I thought it was a message that kids will relate to,” she said. “I mean, I don’t know a parent who doesn’t have a picky eater.”
A native of Italy, Wicker has lived in Montgomery and Bucks counties and moved to Cressona in 2017.
Her next book, called “Grown with Love,” will be published at the end of the year by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. While she won’t reveal many details about it, Wicker said it’s her most accomplished work to date.
“I am so proud of it,” she said. “I think this is the best one yet.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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