[IYL Finds] Take Flight In The Wings Of One’s Imaginings in Beatriz Martin Vidal’s “Bird”

Myra here.

I am glad to be sharing another international title that I learned about through my research fellowship at the International Youth Library in Munich.

Bird

Written and Illustrated by: Beatriz Martin Vidal
Published by: Simply Read Books, 2015 ISBN: 1927018641 (ISBN13: 9781927018644)
Bought a copy of the book. Book photos taken by me.

I am fascinated with the concept of self-transformation in picturebooks for children, especially when they are surreal and fantastical. Take for instance The Shrinking of Treehorn by Florence Parry Heide and Edward Gorey or even the Australian title Damon by Gary Crew and Aaron Hill.

However, it is Suzy Lee’s wordless, eerie and distinctly unique version of Alice that I feel is more comparable to Vidal’s Bird.

The only text that can you see in this picturebook would be the passing of time as you can see above. It is left to the reader’s imaginings to determine how the fantastical transformation of the exquisitely illustrated characters in the book is taking place.

It may be an allegorical play on allowing one’s imaginings to take flight or it could simply be pure magic.

What struck me the most is the child’s readiness, the matter-of-fact knowledge that she can fly, and that the skies are hers to enjoy.

In a world that is increasingly making little sense (going mad is the word that I was trying to find here, but I digress) – I like the sense of magic and beauty that this picturebook conveys – something that I feel I need more of these days. Find this book and revel in its magic.