The Dark and the Light
[…] The book presents the story in a poetic way and shows […] the many faces of life and giving readers hope and courage.

This children’s picture book story has a lot of content that can be shared with children, I help you organize the following topics to share and discuss with the children after the reading.

1. Presenting a story full of hope and courage
This picture book tells the story of a furry creature who overcomes the sadness of losing his home and searches for light and friendship, which can bring hope and courage to children and encourage them to face difficulties and challenges.

2. Demonstrate the colorfulness of life
This picture book shows the many faces of life through contrasting images, from darkness to light, from grey to colorful, so that children can understand the diversity of life and respect different forms of life.

3. Learning about the contrast and balance between loss and finding, darkness and light
This picture book shows the contrasts and balances between different aspects of life, such as lost and found, darkness and light. It helps children understand the relationship between these contrasts and learn how to balance the different aspects of life.

4. Cultivate imagination and thinking skills
By discussing the plot and characters in a story, children can develop their imagination and thinking skills, and learn to see things from different perspectives.

5. Understanding the existence of different worlds and life forms
This picture book presents the existence of different worlds and forms of life, thus helping children to understand the diversity of the world and different forms of life, and to develop their cultural and social awareness.

The Dark and the Light picture book is perfect for parents who want to share a story of hope and courage with their children. This story is especially meaningful for children who are experiencing loss or longing for new life. In addition, this picture book is ideal for parents who want to inspire their child’s imagination and thinking skills. By discussing the story’s plot and characters, children can begin to explore the existence of different worlds and forms of life, and learn how to be open-minded and accepting of differences. Finally, this picture book is also suitable for parents who want to encourage their children to value friendships and be grateful for the people and things around them.

Quelle: https://letitia.tw/the-dark-and-the-light/ (Übersetzung aus dem Chinesischen mit Deepl)

„The Dark and the Light“, NorthSouth Books , New York – die englische Ausgabe meines Bilderbuches „Das Dunkle und das Helle“, illustriert von Julie Völk – wurde im Journal ‚WOW Review‘ des ‚Center for Global Literacies and Literatures‘ (University of Arizona) bereits 2020 besprochen.
Die Rezension habe ich erst neulich entdeckt. Äußerst spannend, wie das Buch in den USA verstanden wird.

Die vollständige Buchbesprechung als PDF

„[…] While this story plot seems quite simple at first, the language and illustrations convey insights into what it means to cross borders and to adapt to another country or space that is unfamiliar.“

„[…] This story has many themes, one being friendship with someone who looks different. It also communicates a theme of hope in adjusting to new ways of living. As the two friends adjust to the other’s land, their coats adjust. Bright spots of light appear on Shaggy’s dark coat as he becomes more comfortable in the new sun-drenched land. The same happens to Sparkle as she learns to live in the dark. The friends acknowledge that borderland living can have a positive outcome as “the darkness can never leave the coat completely. But a spotted coat is very beautiful.” Their friendship in the borderland leads them to agree that there is “nothing better in the whole world than to have a friend who [understands] the need for a parasol and a flashlight.” The story acts as a metaphor for the changes that occur as one adjusts to new spaces.“

Quelle Beitragsbild/Screenshot und Text: Corapi, Susan. (2020). Book Review: The Dark and the Light, Kerstin Hau. WOW Review.

Puppet Builder: Norman Schneider