One of the most pleasurable things about being a parent for me is searching for, finding, and reading (over and over and over again) really great children’s books. Awful children’s books abound, and unfortunately, kids can latch onto those just as easily as they do the good ones sometimes. Woe be to the poor parent! I’ve resorted to “forgetting” books in faraway places just to be rid of them. However, I did find a particularly beautiful one recently that struck Andreas’ fancy as well as mine, thank goodness.
It is Journey by Aaron Becker – a wordless picture book in watercolor. He tells the tale of a lonely little girl who uses a red crayon to give her an entrance into and a way through a magical world. There is a forest dotted with lights and blue lanterns, a city of waterfalls, flying machines, and a very elegant purple friend. Her journey through this world eventually leads her to her meeting a kindred spirit in the “real” world – on her own city block.
As much as I value words and language, this book reminds me the sort of image-rich, sensory-rich place I inhabit when music-making is happening at its best. A story, a feeling, an attitude – all are captured and conveyed in a sound, in the turn of a phrase.
I love the way this little girl journeys through the magical world, exploring her new environment, creating ways to move through it – by boat, by balloon, by a magic carpet. She travels with imagination and bravery and kindness, making near-fatal mistakes and quickly making a way out, or is saved by a new-found friend when all seems lost.
Of course, though he does like the entire book, Andreas’ is especially anxious to get to the pages with the soldiers on it. He is captivated by anyone carrying a sword or a spear or wearing a helmet. He asks me, “what are they saying?” or “is he surprised?” or “is he angry?” as the little girl sneaks up on them and outsmarts them. So I make up some dialogue and we talk about what each of the characters are feeling.
This is what I love about great books, great music, great art – to be drawn into it, to be able to talk about it with a friend (or my toddler son) and mull it over, its layers revealing itself as I spend time with it and maybe grow or change myself.
Take a look at Journey if you have a chance. It might inspire you through your own!
Here is a link to Aaron Becker’s Journey website so you can take a closer look. The “making of” is great fun to watch, as he has some especially interesting things to say about storytelling and working with watercolor. Enjoy!
