The White Book

The little boy is all alone. He stands holding a paint roller surrounded by white; the reader will remember though, that we have just passed a pot of pink paint. So the quest begins, going through the colours to find someone who will stay to play. But nothing works: the pink birds fly off, the blue fish swim away; the grey elephant is too big; the green dinosaur too fierce. What is the last colour? A joyous orange! Maybe …

Originally published in Italy, this stylish picture book needs no words to tell its story. The graphics are simple – uncluttered yet masterly lines, a bold simple palette. This is a book about the imagination, about colours and what they might or might not suggest, about animals and their characteristics. Above all it is book that, though it could just as easily be a private exploration, demands to be shared. Without words on its page it, like many other wordless picture books, is a book to inspire language, conversation, questions and answers – and maybe, another story. Sadly we do not see many wordless picture books published in this country. As a result adventures such as this are all the more welcome, not just for the opportunities they offer but for the visual treats they supply.