The title that served as artistic inspiration for the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association 2013 Holiday Catalog, What the Heart Knows by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenksi, just had a big week. It hit the Pacific Northwest Independent Bestseller List and was named to the Shelf Awareness Best Books of 2013 list!
It’s easy to see why. For starters, the colorful, whimsical illustrations dazzle the eye. Queen Anne Book Company in Seattle decorated the whole store based on the cover of What the Heart Knows, and the owners got the whole family involved. The daughters of owner Janis Segress recreated the figure for the store windows, then painted the windows and front door with blue waves and glitter to echo. Owner Judy de Jonge spent every spare minute in November hand-cutting glitter stars to dangle from the ceiling throughout the store.
The book’s inside delights, too. Charming, heartfelt poems honor and celebrate a range of emotions and occasions. Sidman’s words inspire. Clearly they’ve inspired artists at Queen Anne Book Company and many other indies throughout the NW to create! And they’re inspiring readers around the region to buy.