Spanish / Spain
Umiko
Rodríguez, Mónica
(text)
Piqueras Fisk, Daniel
(illus.)
Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Diego Pun Ediciones, [2023]. – 282 p.
ISBN 978-84-126064-5-4
Japan | Ama | Diving | Tradition | Coming of age | Intergenerational relationship
Reading age: 14+
White Ravens issue: 2024
Mónica Rodríguez is one of the most prominent children’s and youth book authors in Spanish and has won several awards for her work. This book is further proof of her masterly storytelling skills, which are characterized by a language rich in register and a multifaceted portrayal of characters. »Umiko« recounts the story of a young woman who, like her mother and grandmother before her, is expected to become an ama diver. These breath-holding divers harvest seafood off the coast of Japan without any technical aids. But Umiko does not want to continue in the family tradition. The book depicts the resulting conflicts between the three generations of women, but also their close relationship, interwoven with the history of this centuries-old profession and a coming-of-age and love story. The expressive and atmospheric illustrations by Daniel Piqueras, which play an important role in understanding the story, perfectly complement the text. [JW]