German / Germany
Wörterwuselwelten. Ein Ausflug
(Word-flurry worlds. An excursion)
Raab, Ann Cathrin
(text/illus.)
Mannheim: Kunstanstifter, 2016. – [24] p.
ISBN 978-3-9427-9539-5
Excursion | Animals | Language | Picture book
Reading age: 4+
White Ravens issue: 2016
“Many little animals once set out…” – This is how Ann Cathrin Raab’s newest picture book begins. The book tells the story of an excursion; the quite minimal text is enhanced by its being embedded in a word search cloud. The opening phrase of the story – “Many little animals” – stands amidst a “word-flurry” of “PANDAPONYPARKURCHINPLANEDESERTGERBIL”, for instance; “they once set out” is surrounded by terms such as “dump truck” and “skate boarding.” The word-flurries ground the tale in a literal sense in that they are placed on the lower third of the book pages, while the various animals romp about on top of them – in a boat, in a balloon or on foot. This takes the idea of interweaving text and image to a whole new level. The “word-flurry worlds” animate readers and onlookers to gaze, search, embellish and always find new things, so that exciting new adventures beckon with every new leaf-through and read-aloud.