The Velveteen Daughter - by Laurel Davis Huber (Paperback)

About the Book

The first book to reveal the true story of the woman who wrote The Velveteen Rabbit and her daughter, a world-famous child prodigy artist, (The Velveteen Daughter) explores the consequences of early fame, the effects of mental illness on art and genius, and the inability of a mother to save her daughter from herself.

Book Synopsis

The Velveteen Daughter reveals for the first time the true story of two remarkable women: Margery Williams Bianco, the author of one of the most beloved children's books of all time, The Velveteen Rabbit, and her daughter Pamela, a world-renowned child prodigy artist whose fame at one time greatly eclipses her mother's. But celebrity at such an early age exacts a great toll. Pamela's dreams elude her as she struggles with severe depressions, an overbearing father, an obsessive love affair, and a spectacularly misguided marriage. Throughout, her life raft is her mother. The glamorous art world of Europe and New York in the early 20th century and a supporting cast of luminaries--Eugene O'Neill and his wife Agnes (Margery's niece), Pablo Picasso, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, and Richard Hughes, author of A High Wind in Jamaica--provide a vivid backdrop to the Biancos' story. From the opening pages, the novel will captivate readers with its multifaceted and illuminating observations on art, family, and the consequences of genius touched by madness.

Review Quotes

2017 IPPY Awards: Best First Book/Fiction, Silver
". . . a masterpiece. . . . Incandescent, pitch-perfect, and destined for greatness." --Library Journal, starred review
"The Velveteen Daughter seamlessly weaves fiction into reality, and reality into fiction, quickly merging to become one truth that vividly reveals Bianco's secret heart. This book is not only mesmerizing to read but of great importance, bringing Pamela Bianco as an artist to find her rightful place in the history of art." --Gloria Vanderbilt
"...the novel fascinates.... Huber's reliance on primary sources, coupled with her luminous prose, creates an unforgettable sojourn into the lives of early 20th-century artists. ...fast-paced and difficult to put down." --Kirkus Reviews
"Huber's richly textured language is a wonder to behold, her prose every bit as luminous, inspired, and wise as either Bianco's or Williams's own work." --ForeWord Reviews
"Combining the elegance of literary fiction with realistic period atmosphere and an emotional openness reminiscent of personal memoirs, the prose is entirely immersive, compelling read." --Booklist
"The Velveteen Rabbit was a beautifully tender children's story, and after reading this gorgeous novel about the author Margery Williams and her gifted daughter Pamela the children's tale has come to mean much more. Being real hurts terribly. Laurel Davis Huber has taken the true story of mother and daughter and fictionalized it but with precision, following facts so much that she seems to be channeling the entire family. From the beginning pages I was already hooked . . . Add this to your summer reading list!" --Bookstalker
" . . . compelling and affecting . . . . has great emotional appeal." --The Literature Quilter
"This is a dual fictionalized biography of Margery Williams, author of The Velveteen Rabbit, and her daughter, the artist and child prodigy, Pamela Bianco. . . . a beautifully written, entrancing book. . . . The novel delves deep into the emotional roller coaster of obsession, artistry, love, and familial pressures. Alternating between their two points of view, the novel presents different sides to each of the defining events in their lives. Their love, understanding, and forgiveness make this book shine." --Susan Coventry Blog
"With a wonderful touch, Huber makes a lost artist come alive in vibrant yet melancholic colors." --BOOKPAGE.COM "Beautifully written, heartbreakingly captivating and full of literary and artistic magic from the early 20th century, The Velveteen Daughter is sure to appeal to fans of Margery's classic, and to anyone who has struggled to understand their parents or their children." --Shelf Awareness for Readers

About the Author

Laurel Davis Huber grew up in Rhode Island and Oklahoma. She is a graduate of Smith College. She has worked as a corporate newsletter editor, communications director for a botanical garden, high school English teacher, and senior development officer for both New Canaan Country School and Amherst College. She has studied with the novelist and short-story writer Leslie Pietrzyk (the 2015 Drue Heinz Literature Prize winner for This Angel on My Chest) and has participated in several writing residencies at the Vermont Studio Center. She and her husband split their time between New Jersey and Maine.