Radical immigrants

Título: The Bolds

Story: Julian Clary

Illustrations: David Roberts

Andersen Press, 2015

This is a tale of exile and radical acculturation told the hyena way: with loads of fuss & laughter.

Both narrative and illustrations are boisterous and hysterically funny. If cultural apprenticeship is a rather complex affair, as we are told, why shouldn't we face it with elegance and wit, like this wonderful guys?

As you can see, the amount of information conveyed by the images is impressive. When the reader allows himself to stray away from the written words to really look at them, he realizes the protagonists are very refined people who show remarkable discernment in composing outfits.

He also learns that the children (i.e. the pups) are both intelligent and adorable, while the elderly can be gracious and engaging.

Like the uprooted family, the story does not shy away from animal behavior and this is very refreshing. It speaks volumes about truly accepting otherness and differences. We see pieces of African art decorating the living room but there are bones scattered on the floor too. It's a hint towards the carnivorous nature of the occupants but also a reference to the violence of the colonization of the African continent.

There are instances of adoption (intra- and inter-species) and instinctive reaction to human cruelty. There are hats and glasses, tails and pointy teeth, shadows and decorative wallpaper.

The design choice of having black pages record the Bolds's nighttime activities is a clever one: it may seem like an obvious trick, but it's beautifully executed. We also welcome the numerous times when Mr. Bold brings work home: he is in charge of writing the jokes that go inside Christmas crackers. His performances are always highlighted by cartoon-like illustrations, complete with speech bubbles.

     

Those are some of the reasons why I feel compelled to say this is a wonderful book to read aloud and share with all of our family, human or otherwise.

.

*To see more of this book`s illustrations as well as other stuff by David Roberts, take a look in here.

.