Lorena Alvarez Gomez, Nightlights, Nobrow, Oct 2016, 64pp., $29.99 (hbk), ISBN: 9781910620137
The cover of this book enticed me to have a closer look, and to look inside. The peering eyes lurking in the trees, the enchanting garden wonderland; and the curious young girl left me wanting to find out more.
On opening the cover, I was surprised to find such an interesting and intriguing story with creative and magical illustrations and an alternative ‘comic type’ presentation. The pictures are whacky and dreamlike, capturing the reader’s imagination and attention.
Colombian author and illustrator Lorena Alvarez Gomez is inspired by the colours of her home town and the experiences of her childhood. The media release for this book describes the story as one about ‘fear, insecurity, and creativity’, which can be a tricky subject to make relatable for young children. As the content could be quite confronting to some young children, I would recommend this book for the older end of early childhood, through to teens, and even adults.
Aside from the fear and insecurity themes, I was drawn to the imagination of Sandy, the main character. Her dreams and drawings are magical, full of colour and life, depicting the importance of curiosity, wonder and imagination as part of childhood. For Sandy, her drawings are an escape from life as she knows it and are a way for her to easily express herself.
I love this book for its illustrations; they captured my imagination, and warmed my heart with their colour, vibrancy and quirkiness.
Reviewed by Raquel Mayman
