The Boy and the Elephant by Freya Blackwood

The Boy and the Elephant was published in 2021 but because it was entered for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year I haven't been able to talk about this book until now.  Book Week and the announcement of the CBCA Award winners for 2022 happened last month. As a CBCA judge I had to wait to share these books until the judging was completed.

I can date my love of picture books and especially of wordless (IBBY call them Silent Books) to the 1982 CBCA Winner Sunshine by Jan Ormerod.  This year publisher has reissued this book and the companion title Moonlight for the 40th anniversary. By happy coincidence (or perhaps design) the new edition of Sunshine has a preface by Freya Blackwood while Moonlight has one by Margaret Wild. 

Talking about wordless books Jan Ormerod said: 'I depend on the adult to create the right atmosphere and help children read them. When this happens, it is a time for physical closeness and comfort, a quiet time for sharing ideas and feelings, for laughing and learning together.'

I was so thrilled that we had a wordless book entered for the 2022 CBCA Award. I have presented IBBY talks about wordless books and attended exhibitions of fabulous examples from all over the world. 

As with so many books of this genre, The Boy and the Elephant is a book with a deeply emotional, tender and quietly affecting story. Reading and re-reading will reward the reader as they discover so many important details. 

The boy heads off to school on the second spread his body language clearly shows he is not looking forward to this day. In the playground he sits alone and this is emphasised by a subtle shift of tone around him – a little like a very pale spotlight. Using multiple figures to show movement, it is clear, once home from school, the boy is keen to get back to those trees next door. The magic of the solitary moment when he reaches out to touch the elephant is so powerful. This boy is very young. The world of adults is a confusing one. What do those crosses on the trees mean? 

I love the night pages when the boy hugs and tries to move the elephant and then over the page the magic begins. Careful study reveals the boy takes his elephant friend over to his school and the next page is filled with so much hope for the future. 

One my fellow judges said: This is "a book that just sings on so many levels". And the other said: "At its heart this is a story about friendship, and one little boy’s loneliness and sense of displacement in a world where people are too busy to see the beauty in the world. "

Here is the judges report from the CBCA - The Boy and the Elephant was one of the six titles shortlisted this year for the Picture Book of the Year Award:

This wordless book is a deeply emotional, tender, poignant and quietly affecting story which sings on so many levels. Rereading will reward the reader There is the need to stop destruction of the natural environment alongside themes of friendship, loneliness and displacement in a world where people are too busy to see beauty in the world. The characters, settings and transitions in time are engaging, emotive and worthwhile. There are many elements in this book; young and wistful protagonist, peacock and orange colour palette used to represent home life, delicately drawn figures and sensitive use of lighting.

Here are teaching notes from the publisher. If you have a subscription to our Australian Story Box Library they did a splendid production of this book. This is exactly how wordless books should be shared if you want to use a video with a larger group.

Here in Australia, by now, most children in Primary schools are sure to have seen this book but I know people from other places in the world read my blog so I do hope you can find The Boy and the Elephant in your local library, school or book store. Make sure you take time to feel the cover - the title is debossed or indented and don't rush past the first wordless page where the young boy looks out of his window. 

I love the words on the back cover: "A magical and tender wordless picture book about the world we live in and our ability to change it". 

This story is filled with emotion and power. It pulls at your heart and makes you think and smile with wonder. Kids' Book Review

The Boy and the Elephant is a multifaceted tale. Amongst other things, it is a conservation story where, although trees and nature are precious and a refuge, they may be under threat. It pays homage to the imagination, particularly of children, and how they may find solace through their imagination and in nature. It also tenderly suggests how children may have agency to change and improve their circumstances and relationships. Paperbark Words

Each page is rich in emotional detail. Storylinks

Freya Blackwood does have a distinct style. I love the way in so many of her books she shows movement through multiple images.  Here are some of her previous books:

If you want to explore other wordless books here are a few recent ones that I loved:

Here are links to my posts: Stormy, Dandelion's Dream, Aquarium, The Midnight Fair. You are sure to have other wordless books in your library. Here is my extensive Pinterest. And here is a link to the IBBY Silent book project. 

Or you could read books about community action and the action of the individual to save trees or preserve the natural environment: