The Island

The Island is a simple yet poignant tale of a man washed up on a strange island and the treatment that he receives from its residents.

The story is written in language that is simple and in a style that is accessible and straightforward. The illustrations are beautiful, if sombre. Characters represented are grotesque and the colours used are dark and muted. The illustrations are wonderful at depicting the emotions and reactions of the characters. They are also used very effectively to capture and relay the dark mood of the story.

This book is perfect to kick-start discussions on issues like racism, human rights and xenophobia. It gave me chills but I love it nevertheless. 5 out of 5 stars!

Author and illustrator: Armin Greder

First published in 2002 as Die Insel in Germany by Sauerländer Verlag

Age range: 8 to 16 years old

NA's rating: 5/5

The Black Book of Colors

The Black Book of Colors is about Thomas, the visually-impaired protagonist, and how he experiences the world.

The entire book is black, with text standing out in white. The illustrations are done using raised lines which the reader can feel, rather than see. Text is minimal but vividly describes how Thomas experiences the world through his other senses: hearing, smell, taste and touch. The Braille alphabet is included at the end of the book. The experience of touching the illustrations is interesting and allows the reader to get an inkling of how the visually-impaired live and feel. It's a good way to start the conversation on tolerance and understanding for people who are different. Overall, I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Author: Menena Cottin
Illustrator: Rosana Faría
Translated by: Elisa Amado
First published in Spanish as El libro negro de los colores in 2006

Age range: 5 to 16 years old

NA's rating: 4.5/5