Migrants

Peruvian artist Watanabe creates a story about a group of animal migrants who trudge through a dark forest, carrying their belongings in bundles. A fox, several rabbits, an alligator, a mandrill, an elephant, and more make the trip upright, wearing street clothes. They're trailed by Death, a slight, almost apologetic figure with a skull for a head and wearing a magnificent flowered robe. The animals move through a forest of silvery, leafless trees toward the ocean, where a boat awaits, and crowd into it. Death follows, flying on a blue ibis. The waves tear the boat apart; when the animals gain the far shore, they realize that one of their number has died, and they gather around the body. When they arrive at last in a place where the trees bear green leaves and flowers, there's no rejoicing, just puzzled exhaustion. Context-setting will be needed for children unfamiliar with the plight of present-day migrants, but Watanabe captures with grace both dignity and determination, and the brilliance of her art's hues against a velvety black backdrop gives the somber spreads great visual power. Ages 5-8. (Oct.)

Bear witness to a long, arduous journey across forests and seas for those searching for renewed hope.
The travelers—a group of anthropomorphic animals carrying just the clothes on their backs and what little else possible—stand out against the black background. There's the unyielding deep green of the ground and the stark trees that line the path ahead. But wait, here comes Death with lively flowers pressed upon its black robe and a giant blue ibis at its side. Together the travelers set off, sharing food and company and camping when fatigue sets in. Once at the coast, everyone climbs aboard the boat, a modest wooden scrap against the turbulent sea. The sea proves itself cruel, obliterating the travelers' vessel, and those that can swim to shore do so. Not everyone makes it. More fall behind the further the journey goes on, and all along, Death lingers nearby, accompanied by its ibis. It's a lengthy march disrupted with loss and grief until the migrants finally arrive at a landscape of blossoming shrubbery. Originally released in Mexico and imported via New Zealand, Peruvian creator Watanabe's depiction of migration and its often harrowing trials shares no words but plenty of images that ask readers to consider. It's a rare feat: a wordless picture book in which the absence of text intensifies the stories it tells. With its stark dearth of color, seen only where necessary, and evocative imagery, the artist's pictures make the migrant's journey—distinct yet everyday—feel palpable. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 96.4% of actual size).

A raw, startling portrait of migration.—starred, Kirkus Reviews