French / France
Un grand jour de rien
(A big day of nothing)
Alemagna, Beatrice
(text/illus.)
Paris: Albin Michel jeunesse, [2016]. – [42] p.
(Series: Trapèze)
ISBN 978-2-226-32937-0
Nature | Playing | Video game | Imagination | Picture book
Reading age: 5+
White Ravens issue: 2017
Such a boring holiday! Black clouds hang over the mansion in the forest. The never-ending rain invites the child to retreat into the Martian world of his PlayStation. He even schleps the indispensable device with him for his first exploration of the outdoors. And then the unthinkable happens: Skipping across the pond, he accidentally lets the magical rectangle slip into the water – where it disappears. Instead of lamenting, though, the child turns its “liberated” attention to woodland wonders. He enjoys the rain and being all alone. The child’s bright orange rain poncho becomes like a streak of fluorescent lightning hitting here and then over there as he plays ever more exuberantly. The child returns to his mother drenched and happy. Beatrice Alemagna’s lively book captures the key moment when boredom converts into creativity. The message is clear: Back to nature! Just turn the PlayStation off – or in the worst (or best) case: into the pond it goes!