What is going on with wordless picture books? I read Out of the Blue by Barefoot Books and Alison Jay (due March 2027) via an online reader and it’s a wordless board book. And then I read Margaryta Winkler’s (due February 2027) book and I was okay, this book, Homecoming: A Story of War, Nature, and Hope has no words to read, but still there are some (wildly amazing and far out) images to read and I am really getting into those. But then I found Alone One Night by Andrea Antinori (due June 2027) and I was wondering, “What is going on here?
What is the draw for 2027 to have at least three books right off the bat in my online reader copy location? Why did these books have zero words? In Homecoming there were more words in the author’s letter to us than the three books combined, because there are no words! I am writing more words in two sentences! Now, I can usually get behind a wordless book if the images speak to me. I like that you can read it anyway you want and get a new story each time.
Now, I am a bit of a fan of Alison Jay, so they almost can do no wrong, so the day at the beach with their old world, colorful “cracked” images just makes me happy. All the details are tossed onto the page, with a logic known to the author, but maybe is not your logic therefore, it is not your meaning. I liked following along and seeing all the wild things that were happening. It was bright, happy and old fashioned, but read modern. Each read will have you seeing new things.
And as I said Homecoming has some O M Flipping (only didn’t say flipping) G these are a punch in the face, gut and kick in the pants illustrations. The crane represents two themes: the first is a bird flying around, trying to find a place to make a home, or to find home amid chaos. The other is the destruction of war with the potential of hope. With Ukrainian symbols, the author’s world unfolds in front of us. While the meaning is more obvious, you still can add your own touches.
Then we got Alone One Night and that broke me. Childish imagery that will be the make or breaking point as it tells the story. Or not. Man goes on a trip. Things happen around them. Aliens, giants, animals, Batman flying around. Sometimes the man sees things, but usually they are just missing it. But there is no logic. It is one trippy dream (nightmare?) with no follow through. Colors, details and presentation are all “up to you” to decide if it flies or not. I am not the audience.
With radically different stories and presentations, each book has at least two connections: They feel old fashioned and modern, and give off a European flair to them without saying anything.
