Picture Books. Not just for kids... The Voice of the Great Bell
The Voice Of The Great Bell
Although this is a picture book, it is not a picture book for children. We (In the U.S.) tend to think of picture books as the sole domain of children, when in reality, the art and format lends itself very well to some more mature storylines.
This story about the suicide of a young girl to protect her father is not a tale that Americans tend to think of as child friendly, but there are other cultures that would find this very appropriate as it teaches familial love and responsibility to the extreme. But before people from more european centric countries start to get their undies in a bunch, we have to remember that Cinderellas sisters cut off their toes and heels to fit a shoe, Hansel and Gretel were going to be eaten by a cannibalistic witch, Blue Beard had a vat of body parts from his victims/ex wives, and Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother were eaten by a wolf. So... fairy tales of any sort can be a bloody depressing mess.
But I digress...
This story of simple and lyrical language is paired with soft muted and blurred images. You have to imagine the faces and everything else. Nothing is spelled out for you visually. And I really enjoyed that.
There is no way around it, this is a sad tale. But just like we sometimes listen to sad songs to purge our sad feelings, this melancholy book could certainly be cathartic to some. You can absolutely feel the distress of the father and the devotion of the daughter. And, just like the art, it is stunningly and heart-wrenchingly beautiful.
- Miss Kelly
