Teacup by Rebecca
Young, illustrated by Matt Ottley (Scholastic Press)
HB
RRP $24.99
ISBN
978-1-74362-384-8
Reviewed
by Jenny Heslop
Teacup
is a beautiful story. It is soft and gentle, with words which
almost fade off the pages, yet it tells an enormous story about being
displaced, about isolation and about finding a new home.
A young boy sets off in a boat with
almost no possessions to find a new place to live. On his journey he watches
the waves, the clouds, the stars and the sea creature, all reminding him of
what he has left behind.
The illustrations are stunning. They
range from grand to simple and use great contrasts in dark and light to create
an emotional reaction. They capture isolation, longing and change so well.
The words, also, make this an evocative
and beautiful reading experience.
‘And
the way the clouds slowly swam into view reminded him of how things can change
with a whisper.’
The peaceful air of dreamy contemplation
– along with the tree growing in a teacup – make me think of Michael Leunig's work, subtly exploring what it means to be a refugee.
From the wonderful front cover, to the
soft and ‘barely there’ end papers, this is a visually appealing picture book.
And with many layers to the tale it tells, this is a rich, subtle, satisfying
story infused with great hope.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Buzz Words Books would love to hear what you think.