‘Salih’ is a young boy, and he tells his story as a first-person narrator thus providing readers insights into his emotions and perspectives. This is his story as a refugee hoping for a better life.
In this, Inda Ahmad Zahri’s first picture book, she reveals that ‘Salih’ is about ‘a little boy who imagines he’s a turtle carrying his home on his back as he escapes the horrors of war. Though the journey is perilous, he finds a way to send out messages of hope, without knowing what awaits him.’ The illustration of Salih with a turtle on his back can be variously interpreted.
Illustrator Anne Ryan uses mixed media, including acrylic paint, pencil, ink, watercolour and gouache using a multi-layered technique for her paintings and drawings. Colours used convey the emotions being felt, whether sadness at leaving home and family, fears at turbulent travels by sea, or the uplifting scene of arrival at a new land. While there are multilayers of meaning embedded in the illustrations, the figurative language is minimalist with multiple meanings. Together illustrations and text encourage the reader to experience Salih’s life. When the text speaks of a sea ‘raging about shattered lives’ and ‘angry for the homes we’ve lost,’ empathy is raised for these lives in peril. When ‘The wind quietens, and the sea calms. Land appears on the horizon,’ readers will experience deep satisfaction.
Ryan demonstrates and explores how she adds layers of meaning and different interpretations in her Resource, ‘Making Ali.’ Her artwork, like the story, is layered and captures nuances of refugees’ experiences. The jacket cover, for instance, is a detailed montage of the refugees’ journey, living conditions in camps, emotional family moments, creative outlets for emotions, arrival at a new land and more. While there is sadness throughout inherent in the posture of Salih in particular, the words convey hope and resilience.
Inda Ahmad Zahri writes and illustrates for children and adults. Her stories are inspired by natural and cultural influences based on her travels and Malaysian heritage.
Picture Books for Older Readers
