MinEditions, 2021
In the midst of news about refugees, escapes, and heartache, I recently received a sample of a picturebook by Columbian author/illustrator, DIPACHO. ANTONIA: A Journey to a New Home will release on September 14 (2021) from MinEditionUS/Astra Publishing House. I try not to overdo being pushy in these posts, but this is an excellent example of how important every single aspect of cover designs can be.On first glance, it's easy to assume that ANTONIA is the lively, lighthearted dog. My assumption there was correct, but there is so much more to notice.
First, Antonia is looking back, not ahead. Why is that? Is she escaping from someone? Leading the way? Playing with someone? And why is the subtitle "a" journey, not "her" journey? Any ideas?
As they say in the infomercials... wait, there's more!
Any careful look at a well-designed book cover will include checking out the back. Of course the text is intentionally helpful, hint-full. But before any words were added, you can compare the two halves of the story that meet a reader's eye before the first page is turned. The front is in bright and "happy" colors, familiar in the styles of the light-noted lively dog, its doggish smile, and a hedge that could be found in any neighborhood. In stark contrast are the color tones and visual suggestions on the back. Images are blurred and blue-er, from the ground up through the ominous sky. That horizontal herdgery is less vibrant, nearly suggesting fencing or barbed wire with a slight squint as you view.
Any move has both good-and-bad aspects, as presented in books reviewed earlier this month, HERE, and in several other posts. This cover alone suggested to me that much higher stakes could be revealed once I cracked open the story. That's what the opening endpapers confirmed, as the dog is racing away from a lovely home with bags packed outside their door. Then, in several wordless pages that preceded the title page, the dog pauses, tongue lolling, at water's edge. He is soon joined by his young girl, arriving with a hug, followed by a boy with a duck on a leash.
Before the ongoing, eventful scenes unfold wordlessly, DIPACHO offers an introductory note to assure our understanding. He clarifies that many in his homeland, Columbia, are no longer safe in their longtime, lovely homes, but must escape to urban areas, at great risk and loss of their family heritage. Just as the back cover cautions, this introduction makes clear that "a journey" may be dangerous and difficult, and yet in the company of loved ones it is possible to find happiness and hope.
I will not spoil the story by revealing what "difficulties" this migratory group will deal with, but I urge readers to keep your eyes peeled for the many little visual details that suggest answers to your questions. Who arrives? Who survives? What should be celebrated and what should be mourned?
Sound like a lot? Well, current global events are "a lot", and without discussion and openness to questions from little ones whose big eyes and ears notice more than we realize, those can feel either unreal or overwhelming. Stories like this one, shared with trusted adults, can elevate empathy and expand understanding.
While you're at it, give a look back at another kid-friendly but world-aware picture book, CROCODILE'S CROSSING: A Search For Home, reviewed HERE.
I'm throwing in a bit of a Covid anchor here, too. The mandate against evictions in the USA is about to be lifted, and there will undoubtedly be countless families right around the corners from us who will be forced out of their "lovely homes" to seek "safe" shelter in unpredictable places and circumstances. This fall there will likely be exponentially more un-homed kids within our schools and among our acquaintances. Books like these can resonate with both those who suffer losses and those who can't imagine such losses. Please use books to open discussions that must be had in order to increase our capacity to empathize and actively help.
(Received from publisher without a promise of review.)
