Dutch / Belgium
De boer en de dierenarts
(The farmer and the veterinarian)
Lammers, Pim
(text)
Praagman, Milja
(illus.)
Wielsbeke: De Eenhoorn, 2018. – [28] p.
ISBN 978-94-6291-288-5
Falling in love | Homosexuality | Emotion | Diversity | Picture book
Reading age: 4+
White Ravens issue: 2019
Everything is going wrong at the farm. The farmer searches the pigs for eggs, and he wants to shave the cow instead of the sheep. He is all in a muddle and keeps finding excuses to take one of the animals to the veterinarian. The farmer is in love with the veterinarian, but too shy to ask him to a picnic. Thus, the animals decide to help their farmer. And the veterinarian finally understands what’s ailing the farmer – love-sickness. The story of this endearing picture book about love – especially love between two men – is told with simplicity in poetic language. Well-chosen words can help approach a theme that some consider “difficult”. This is certainly the case in this book, whose message is: Love is for everyone. The multi-layered black-and-white pencil drawings have a surprisingly intense coloration. The illustrator uses different perspectives, paying special attention to the eyes of both the human and animal characters.