Switzerland
91
Bolliger, Max (text)
Conno, Gianni de (illus.)
Der Weihnachtsnarr : eine Weihnachtsgeschichte (The Christmas Fool : a Christmas tale)
Zürich : Bohem Press, 2003. – [28] p.
ISBN 3-85581-404-x
Christmas – Fool – Search – Wisdom – Gift – Humanity
Max Bolliger tells a parable-like story about the search for wisdom and places
it within the context of the Christmas story. The protagonist, a young fool
who lived in the Orient 2000 years ago, strives to become a wise man. One
night, he discovers the bright star of Bethlehem. Since he wants to serve the
newborn Lord, he follows the star and takes everything he owns: his
glockenspiel, a flower, and his fool’s cap. Along the way, however, he meets
some poor children who need these items more desperately than anyone else. So
he arrives in Bethlehem empty-handed. Still, Mary lays her son into his arms
and the smiling child grants him the wisdom he desired. Static pictures with
broad spaces of colour impressively represent the various episodes of the
narration. (6+)
92
Eggermann, Vera (adapt./illus.)
Au weia (Oh my!)
Zürich : Bajazzo-Verl., 2003. – [26] p.
ISBN 3-907588-39-8
Girl – Mischief – Obedience – Disobedience
»Don’t pull the cat’s tail!«
and »Don’t drink the ink!« says Auntie to Lena when she leaves the house.
But she didn’t mention anything about not cutting the napkins or the
tablecloth. Lena sets to work. Splitting the table with an axe wasn’t on
Auntie’s list of forbidden things either. But for lack of strength, the
child fails to carry out this plan – and suddenly feels really small.
Luckily enough, with only a few »Oh my!«, aunt and niece manage to sew
together the cut up pieces – and are reconciled. Next time she goes to town,
however, Auntie will probably take Lena with her. The beginning of the funny
story, based on a text by Danijl Charms, strongly reminds readers of
Hoffmann’s Slovenly Peter. The end, though, is influenced by the 21st
century ideals of cooperative education. Large illustrations in a naive style
accompany the text. (5+)
¤
93
Hoffmann, E. T. A. (text)
Koppe, Susanne (adapt.)
Zwerger, Lisbeth (illus.)
Nussknacker (Nutcracker)
Gossau, Zürich : Neugebauer, 2003. – [28] p. + 1 CD
ISBN 3-85195-728-8. - 3-85195-292-8
Literary fairy tale – Christmas – Toy – Dream
– Good/Evil – Fight – Help – Reward
This well-known literary fairy tale, originally published in 1816, is
presented here in a condensed text version and with new congenial
illustrations. Little Marie dreams a Christmas dream: Toys are coming alive
and a fight flares up between the evil mice army and the good tin soldiers.
With Marie’s help, one of the tin soldiers ends the fight and eventually
takes the girl with him to his marzipan castle. And they lived happily....
Detailed, witty scenes presented in full-page pictures capture pivotal moments
from the plot. Lisbeth Zwerger follows the narration without psychoanalysing
it. Delicate vignettes create connections to the large illustrations. An
audio-CD with music and excerpts from the tale are enclosed with the book.
(8+)
94
Irving, John (text)
Hauptmann, Tatjana (illus.)
Rumler, Irene (transl.)
Ein Geräusch, wie wenn einer versucht, kein Geräusch zu machen : eine
Geschichte
(A sound like somebody trying to make no noise : a story)
Zürich : Diogenes,
2003. – 32 p.
ISBN 3-257-01102-4
Brothers – Night – Fear – Noise – Falling asleep
Tom wakes up: An unfamiliar, low sound frightens him. A monster? He calls for
his father, who makes a little inquiry. Dad finally realises that the wet,
furry monster with no arms or legs crawling through the house, is nothing but
a tiny mouse behind the wall. Meanwhile, little brother Tim is awake, too, and
because he is longing to see the mouse, he is the only who can’t go back to
sleep. The text of this book was taken from John Irving’s adult novel Widow
for a Year (1998) and presents itself as a children’s picture book for
the first time. Stairwell and garden are night-blue and the small hero in
pyjamas wanders through threatening moonlight shadows. The illustrations
marvellously capture the mysterious mood of the story and the children’s
emotions. (4+)
95
Kamm, Katja (illus.)
Das runde Rot (The round red)
Zürich : Bajazzo, 2003. – [36] p.
ISBN 3-907588-44-4
Colour – Shape – Game – Imagination
A girl’s two arms reach out for something round and red - a balloon, a ball,
an apple? Yet, before the child can sink her teeth into the forbidden (?)
fruit, a priest dressed in black grabs it and the round red thing turns into a
spare wheel for a broken car, into a flat round record, into a lolly, and into
a yo-yo, that finally flies away and finds its way back into the girl’s
arms. This at once humorous and profound little book doesn’t need text. You
can invent and tell your own stories, come up with tales and examples for
other colours and shapes. This book offers a skilful and unpretentious
introduction to abstract thinking and figurative representation for children. (5+)
96
Müller, Birte (text/illus.)
Auf Wiedersehen, Oma (Good-bye,
Granny)
Gossau, Zürich : Neugebauer, 2003. – [32] p.
ISBN 3-85195-957-4
Latin America – Village – All Saints’ Day – Celebration – Death –
Tradition – Girl – Grandmother
In Latin American countries, it is common to organise a cheerful party on the
Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints’ Day) and remember the family members
who have passed away. Little Felipa, who lives in a village in the Andes,
learns that her late grandmother’s soul will be very close to her on this
day. Slowly she comes to understand that she cannot see people’s souls and
does not have to go searching for them – not among the animals, nor in the
snow-covered mountains – but that she will still not remain lonely after
their death. The author created this book from impressions gathered during a
study trip through Mexico and Bolivia. Its pictures open up broad
earthen-coloured spaces that offer room for imagination and contemplation.
(4+) <>
Special
Mention
97
Walser, Robert (text)
Bhend, Käthi (illus.)
Einer, der nichts merkte (Someone who didn’t notice anything)
Zürich : Atlantis, 2003. – [32] p.
ISBN 3-7152-0467-2
Man – Perception – Lack of interest
The short text, taken from Robert Walser’s book Der Spaziergang (The
walk), originally published in 1917, seems like an omen of people’s
isolation and lack of interest in the large or small things of the world.
Naively and stubbornly, a man disregards everything that shapes his life:
wife, children, possessions, environment. He knows nothing and feels nothing,
loses everything, even – suddenly taken into a surreal setting – his head.
Now he is indeed blind, deaf, and dumb. Luckily enough, an easy solution is at
hand in the picture: Wife and children sew his head back onto his body.
Nevertheless, this rescue is only shown in the picture and not confirmed by
the text. Colourful panels in original planograph technique illustrate this
profound tale and hint at its comical side. The text’s apparent simplicity
and the sophisticated style of the illustrations make this book an exemplary
story. (5+) ¤
98
Wehrli, Ursus (illus.)
Olenhusen, Albrecht Götz von (preface)
Kunst aufräumen (Tidying
up art)
Zürich : Kein und Aber, 2002. – 47 p.
ISBN 3-0369-5200-4
Art – Adaptation – Order – Aesthetics – Perception
Based on philosophical research on art, corroborated by Swiss patent law, this
book strives to introduce child and adult readers to a new way of looking at
art. Selected works from the canon of figurative art are reduced to their
basic components of shape and space, taken to pieces and arranged in a new
way, so that the separate elements of form can be recognised. The two versions
– the original work of art and the »tidied up« one – are sitting next to
each other and inspire meticulous observation. Moreover, they prove once more
that a work of art is much more than its single parts put together. Last but
not least, this method includes a humorous aspect because it takes an ironic
look at both aesthetics and the overly (un-?)intelligent
art ‘expert’. (14+)
99
Weigelt, Udo (text)
Heusser, Sibylle (illus.)
Sandmännchens Mondfahrt : eine Geschichte zur guten Nacht (Little sandman’s trip to the moon : a bedtime
story)
Gossau, Zürich : Nord-Süd-Verl., 2003. – [28] p.
(Ein Nord-Süd-Bilderbuch)
ISBN 3-314-00986-0
Sandman – Friend – Search – Falling asleep – Night – Moon
Little sandman’s fate is a sad one. He feels
utterly lonely because – due to his peculiar profession – he cannot find a
friend. No matter where he appears, all the children and other people
immediately fall asleep. Not even police officers or burglars are immune to
his soporific influence. And neither are all the nocturnal animals on land, in
the water or the air. Thus, there is only one solution for little sandman: the
man in the moon; and he is already waiting for him. This imaginative bedtime
story is accompanied by large-format pictures painted in smooth colours. (4+)