In its pages, young readers will ease the tensions that they often feel inside, they will calm their eyes that sometimes feel wild, they will accompany each of their emotional nuances and they will realize that everything is good, everything is acceptable, everything is possible to coexist.
Five books that turn their words to the heart. Books that can calm the storms and soften our gray.
Meteora – Marios Mazaris
Two children, two brothers. Different though twins. She is a girl and he is a boy. She likes honey donuts and swimming. He likes chocolate croissants and climbing trees. Oh, and one more thing. He is very fond of adjectives, not of names but those that characterize words. Because the day is not enough for him, he wants it to be wonderful. And on his travels, he prefers the nearby ones and wants to see the snow-covered Kalavritas and the impressive Delphi. But at some point they will all be together in Meteora, place and adjective together and this is how this original story will begin where everything becomes a play on words and from a simple game with concepts we will sink the wealth into our souls and the exciting path into life .
What is a rock and what is a meteor? What is stable and what is uncertain? And who can clearly give such an answer. A story about the uncertainties of a family, about that moment where it transforms from one to two, and about meteors that never need to know they are meteors, as long as they know what rocks look like.
Marios Mazaris knows how to make magical stories that can penetrate the mind and the heart at the same time. To talk about the great secrets of life like a fairy tale. The images of Vassilis Koutsoyiannis, delicate, tasteful compositions that exude childishness, add realism to the story and make it seem earthly, real.
Author: Marios Mazaris
Illustration: Vassilis Koutsoyiannis
It circulates from Metaichmio Publications
I got lost – Mariajo Ilustrajo
A beautiful white bear. We watch him lost in the center of a city unknown to him. Everything seems different to him, he doesn’t remember the way back to his house. He stands in the queues for someone to help him, he tries to ask a question but in vain, he always stumbles upon something completely unknown and unprecedented for him. Everyone is too busy to help him, or they just don’t realize he exists. Some are looking at their phones, some at newspapers, some with headphones listening to music and all are oblivious to what is happening around them. All but one little girl, who will do anything to help him get back home. The little girl takes him into her home, dresses him, feeds him, bathes him and reads him stories and while there, only the little girl seems to see the handsome bear – her parents are oblivious to his presence.
This is a charming story with minimal text, written from the thoughts and “voice” of the polar bear. The excellent illustration captures the journey of the polar bear from the center of the city to the achievement of its goal which is none other than the arrival at his home. The opening image perfectly captures the setting of how lost and out of context he feels with only his nose pointing up at the bottom of the page and the rest of the page filled with the angular gray lines of the skyscrapers above him.
A touching story to explore with children how we can all feel lost sometimes, the power of friendship, the importance of empathy and helping others.
Author & Illustrator: Mariajo Ilustrajo
Circulates from Little Moon publications.
The matchbox – Despina Liarakou
A small matchbox will become Sofia’s favorite toy at noon when the whole neighborhood is asleep. At first she will shut up a cicada but soon she will start shutting down everything she likes and loves. The most amazing things. But also what she doesn’t like or sometimes hurts her. Jealousy, sadness, anger. But how much can a small matchbox like this hold? When her matchbox is full and won’t open anymore, she doesn’t know what to do…
A little story about all that we hide inside. For what we keep as a sealed secret and accumulate over time, they almost cover us. And what a beautiful revelation to learn in such a demonstrative way the beauty of the free expression of your feelings and desires. Despina Liarakou has achieved the goal perfectly while at the same time Iota Kokkosi with her nostalgic illustrations printed on beige paper manage to give us a very beautiful book.
Author: Miss Liarakou
Illustrator: Iota Kokkosi
Circulates from Kastaniotis Publications.
The Sanctuary of Sorrow – Anne Booth
A little boy builds for his Sorrow a little shelter, a safe place where his Sorrow can grow very, very small or very, very big, make a fuss or be quiet. The boy will be able to visit her whenever he needs or whenever she calls him. He will know, however, that one day Lypi will manage to get out of the shelter and they will look at the beautiful world together.
A small child recognizes and embraces his feelings and learns us through his story, to accept them and give them the space and time they need to be curious about them, to understand them, to become fellow travelers. A touching story that encourages children to come to terms with their negative emotions, manage them and move forward not only forward but hand in hand. Litchfield’s illustration softens the melancholy and sadness. His images comfortingly bring hope and light.
The book’s author, Anna Booth, was inspired by the words of the Dutch-Jewish author Ettie Hilsham, a Holocaust victim, who from her youth struggled with depression possibly due to her emotionally unstable family, which she called a “madhouse”. . After meeting psychiatrist Julius Spier, who encouraged her to keep a journal of her thoughts, she began to seek solutions and accept her grief. Her remarkable diaries and surviving letters continue to have a profoundly positive effect on those who read them. “Give your grief all the space and protection it deserves – because if we all bear the pain with honesty and courage, the grief that has flooded the world will subside. By giving grief the space it needs, you will be able to say honestly: life is beautiful and so precious». (Esther – Etty – Hillesum, 15/1/1914 – 30/11/1943).
Text: Anne Booth
Illustration: David Litchfield
Translation: Silver Pippin
Circulates from March editions.
Today is the day – Theodora Katsifi
A mother open spirit, big heart. A supportive mother, with eyes fixed on the sky and feet with wings to walk the whole world. Kind of like the mother of our story. A mother who, in the eyes of her child, is unlike anyone else in the world. Every morning when she wakes up her only exhortation: “Fly high, fly far.” And when the time comes to leave her child at school, she only wishes: “have a good trip” because in her eyes the school seems like an ocean. Her life the greatest example of life for that. Encouragement, exhortation, acceptance, possibility.
Life is like a big sea and you, the small child, the soon-to-be adult, learn, become the most capable captain, navigate your ship enjoying every little passage, detour or port. Without missing a thing. Through the inspiring words of his mom, a boy tells us about the love, generosity and open horizons of his family, a source of inspiration to grow his own wings and fly into the world.
“Fly high, fly far! I followed a flock of birds,
to the end of the world and beyond…
And if you don’t have one, get wings! Today is the day!”
Theda Mimilaki with her images exquisitely embraces the story, bringing the words to life, adding one would say movement. Pictures accompany the words in a children’s book that expresses in a simple and illustrative way the philosophical approach to life: live today.
Author: Theodora Katsifi
Illustrator: Theda Mimilaki
Circulates from Kaleidoscope Publications
