Sant Jordi comes loaded this year with numerous proposals in the field of children and youth that remind us of the best times before the pandemic. The youth essay continues unstoppable, like the books of knowledge, especially those focused on the environment. But there are those for all fields. For example, Víctor Escandell (illustrations) and Victor Sabaté once again unite illustration and knowledge at the service of the human body in a new installment of Enigmas / Enigmes (Zahorí Books), a very well designed book-game to learn the ins and outs of our body - Here we talk about the urinary system, the heart, sleep, smell...- at the same time as participating in a game in which the whole family has a place (from 8-9 years).
This Animal Enigma (Ekaré) by Raquel Poliquin and Byron Eggenschwiler also talks about games. The grace of the proposal is that they offer us objects such as a vacuum cleaner tube, billiard balls, dusters and some other qualities to ask us the question: what animal can you make with...? Pulling down the page we get an amazing response. The book is at the service of magnificent illustrations capable of creating the most varied environments from which even fearsome snakes (7-8 years) come out.
How are we?, who are we?, how do we feel?... The LiJ continues to inquire into feelings, emotions, behaviors and others, and sometimes manages to find pearls like the one that Juan Arjona offers us in Todos mis defectos (Free Will). Illustrated by Christian Inaraja, the boy protagonist of this good true story is very complete. And now it's up to you to find out what the authors mean by it (4 years). As Sant Jordi also has a strong love component, let me introduce you to La babosa enamorado (Cubilete), by Rachel Bright and Nadia Shireen. As slimy and sticky as he is, I'd be more than willing to give this character love a hug. But too bad, he has already found a partner. And the good ones (3 years).
In the same field of feelings, the new youth label To Be Read by the veteran SM has left its mark, with a proposal, Conversations with Myself, signed by four young creators around the transition to adulthood. It is a trip to the past in a comic key where a young woman returns to her 16 years to explain everything that she would have liked to know at that age in which nobody is prepared for all the challenges that lie ahead. And knowing what to study is the least of them (14-15 years).
The curious minds of the little ones (4 years old) have a challenge with My first book of everything (Cocobooks) by Ben Newman. This is one of those books that can last for months without getting tired because it covers everything in a succinct and attractive way, with simple explanations and great color. From the universe to the earth, passing through the human body or vehicles and machinery, the proposed agenda is more than broad. And speaking of vehicles, the author and illustrator Bartosz Ratajczyk has managed with his Bicycles (Thule) to pay true homage to this means of transport that can circulate in the city as well as in the mountains. Thus, we discover all the aspects related to cycling, including the historical ones, and some more that will make us want to start our own cycling adventure (5-6 years).
The celebration of the 80th anniversary of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's magnum opus, The Little Prince, is one of the notable events this year that also has its showcase in this Sant Jordi, for which Salamandra, the official publisher of the book in Spain , has prepared two new versions: one for young children (from 1 year old) as a book-game with flaps and another bilingual version, one of them in English, which recovers the author's original watercolors.
They are also celebrating their anniversary at the Akiara publishing house. Five years no less, during which they have garnered quite a few awards. To celebrate it, they have launched a collection, Akiwow, with which they propose us to once again marvel at the things that surround us.
Also in the editorial section we find the birth of another publishing label, Inuk, which we echo through a book of knowledge that is similar to traditional works that touch a bit of everything, placing special emphasis on curiosities. The Great Book of Incredible Answers, by Jane Wilsher and illustrated by Louise Lockhart, encyclopedically encompasses 500 answers to questions like what do we have in our eyelashes (we won't be the first to find out that we have a thing called eyelash mites), how much dirt generates the nose, or what precious metal we find in the hair. In addition to the human body, the topics covered here are very varied and well-known: science and technology, the natural world, space, history or the arts and entertainment (from 7-8 years).
In the animals section, we travel to La ciutat dels animals (Dimoni Pelut) created by the illustrator Sarah Loulendo, with some attractive Japanese-inspired images that are described in detail by the writer Emmanuelle Mardesson. A narrative voice that dwells on the details of the pictures to explain who they are and what they do (5 years).
Moles are having a special role this Sant Jordi. If you don't see Inmobiliaria Topo S.A (Baobab) by Gemma Camblor and Esther Gili (illustrations) where a mouse looking for a job doesn't see the great ability it has to find the ideal house for each one (4 years). A little more combative is the mole by Anna Fité from Humans in my garden (La Galera). Illustrated by Cuchu, this mole is more than fed up with the fact that his house is not respected and he is going to have to come to terms with those pesky humans (5 years).
But definitely the mole we will hear about the most is Óscar, Detective Mole (Liana editorial), with whom Camilla Pintonato starts a detective series to the delight of the little ones. Today the grandfather has been lost, but who knows what cases will knock on the door of this mole who loves crime novels (5 years old).
For adults-children who love picture books, a beauty illustrated by Amanda Mijangos that accompanies the words of The First Boat (Lumen) by José Saramago, a new title added to the collection that approaches the work of the Portuguese Nobel Prize winner from a more artistic optics, with short texts accompanied by evocative and poetic illustrations. An unexpected light and The most beautiful flower in the world are other titles in this unique collection. Also in this segment we would frame The Pencil (Red Fox Books) by the Korean Hyeeun Kim, which without a word takes us on a creative journey through nature that is born from the simple action of sharpening a colored pencil. A journey with chiaroscuro, impact and reflection.
In the novel section, a band of artists breaks into the so-called middle grade scene this year. They are artists of drama, action, dance, provocation... There are eight of them and they live in an orphanage where their director has them almost on bread and water, while she lives in the greatest of opulences. This is the beginning of The nine dancers (La Galera), by the Mallorcan author Andreu Llinàs, who introduces us to those who will probably be his literary companions in the coming years, or so we hope.
The narrator's voice introduces us little by little into the eventful life of these girls, whose lack of affection from the adults they make up for by loving each other very much, although sometimes they show it in a rather crude way. The empathy with the little ones is immediate, as well as the instant hatred against the director and her punishment. But one day everything changes. The retirement of the tutor from the orphanage and the entry of a new one will change the whole panorama, although the creatures are suspicious of the drastic change of scenery. A new tutor with hidden artistic skills that she will transmit to her pupils, thus giving way in the lives of the little ones to the magical world of dance. All this while a dark subplot is woven in the building next to the orphanage where a gang of thieves has their eye on the girls (10-11 years old). The exciting start of a series that Llinàs, also a renowned illustrator, sprinkles with friendly and vibrant vignettes that give the narrative a complete perspective. Humor, action, the right number of villains and a dash of good spirit are the basic ingredients of this series that is starting.
The French tandem Mathieu-Daudé and Tallec also put together a fun series for early readers starring a grumpy, talkative, nonconformist, curious Viking girl who is very willing to get her way. Dagfrid just needs to swear a few times to be completely credible. Because, what self-respecting Viking would not swear by Asynjur, for example, when for the umpteenth time in her life they give her dried fish at mealtime? An ideal series for first readers with short, interesting and humorous installments.
For the first readers, we also echo the story that Alfons Cama tells us in Nabil Robapinyes (Cep i la Nansa), the moving story of a Moroccan family trying to fit in in a small town in Montseny.
The prolific successful couple Jaume Copons and Liliana Fortuny have embarked on this occasion on a story-tribute-biography- starring none other than Companyia Elèctrica Dharma, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its appearance. Through Roc, a boy whose grandmother is not only a fan but also formed and forms part of the group's inner circle, both authors recount the history of the musicians in Rok Guitar (Comanegra). The excuse is the summary of the work that Roc must deliver to the school just after the return from the holidays, and as a good clueless person, he has not found out anything. But he finds a good friend who lends him a hand and a grandmother who puts him on the path of a mythical gang in Catalonia who, by the way, lives next to his grandmother. The book, in which he commands, of course, the cartoon, comes out as number 1, so it makes us think that the theme will continue. In fact, Roc has already announced that he wants to be a rock star (10 years).
