cover image The Sky of Afghanistan

The Sky of Afghanistan

Ana A. de Eulate, trans. from the Spanish by Jon Brokenbow, illus. by Sonja Wimmer. Cuento de Luz (IPG, dist.), $15.95 (24p) ISBN 978-84-15503-04-0

Eulate and Wimmer offer a forceful vision of hope for Afghanistan’s future, told from the perspective of “a little Afghan girl who doesn’t stop dreaming.” A kite that “struggles against the wind” serves as a metaphor for the country’s efforts to rise up; in one of Wimmer’s sweeping pencil spreads, a map of Afghanistan becomes a kite itself, its red tails unspooling toward a crowd that includes a woman in a burqa, a father holding his daughter, and a soldier. Red poppies, a flower blooming from a tank, and a ragtag collection of toys with joined hands are among the many inspirational images that underscore the book’s message of peace. Ages 5–7. (Oct.)