German / Germany
Hört mal! Brülle-Post-Leporello
(Listen up! Bellowing-Telephone-Leporello)
Drust, Rike
(text)
Palmtag, Nele
(illus.)
Mannheim: Kunstanstifter, [2025]. – 16 p.
ISBN 978-3-948743-36-9
City | Communication | Leporello | Misunderstanding | Picture book
Reading age: 3+
White Ravens issue: 2025
Everything begins with angry shouts from a man with the crazy Christmas tree haircut. As he pushes his shopping trolley through the city, he bellows at everyone he encounters: »Clear the stance!« But his yelling gets transformed in the ears of those who hear it into something entirely different. The police officers ask: »Steer the dance?« The marching protestors interpret it as »Give PEACE a CHANCE!«, while the small child babbles »Keer da nance?« Nele Palmtag and Rike Durst take the game known as »Chinese Whispers« (or »Telephone«) – where a message is whispered from person to person in a group and often ends up completely different from what was originally said – and create a game of rhymed shouting. By using the leporello format which unfolds into a vibrant and colourful city street, they demonstrate how creative understanding can transform messages – ultimately even dissipating the anger of the bellowing man. [IG]