Venezuela
Special
Mention
164
Sáez Castán, Javier (text/illus.)
Los tres erizos : pantomima en dos actos con colofón (The three hedgehogs : farce in two acts with colophon)
Caracas : Ed. Ekaré, 2003. – [36] p.
(Colección Ponte Poronte)
Hedgehog – Apple – Food – Trial – Justice
Three hedgehogs raid an apple-orchard for windfalls. »Revenge!« scream the
people. Once they finish hibernating and leave their cosy cave, the culprits
will be in for it. But they are lucky because just then, a little apple tree
they ‘planted’ decides to push its head through the earth. The benefactors
shall be pardoned! Overwhelming emotions, medals, happy end! This
unconventional picture book owes its exuberant originality to the discrepancy
between the simplicity of the pseudo-didactic tale, its subdued tone, and the
warm, quiet illustrations on the one hand and its elaborate form and many
literary allusions on the other. Javier Sáez Castán quotes elements of
classicist drama or adds banners with Latin or French inscriptions as comments
to imitate medieval paintings and ends up producing an intelligent ironic
farce that can be appreciated by child and adult readers on very different
levels. (6+)