Jeannie Baker’s central image for her book is a window through which readers experience her wordless story. Thirteen double page spreads feature her ‘collage constructions.’ A mother and baby look out the window to an open wilderness. Over time, the view reveals that the land has been cleared, trees and birds have disappeared to be replaced by houses, villages and finally a city.
With each page turn, the scene outside the window reveals the changing environment. Birthday cards appear on the windowsill revealing that time is passing. A final 20th year birthday card is followed by the next double page spread showing a moving van outside. Now a new window appears and the boy, now a grown man, with his own baby in tow, looks out his window at a pristine countryside opposite. Outside a sign states, ‘House Blocks for Sale’.
Jeannie Baker includes a note at the end of her story that the Australian wilderness is being destroyed and species are becoming extinct by the hour. She suggests that ‘by understanding and changing the way we personally interact with the environment, we can make a difference.’
The concept of a changing environment as seen over 20 years through a window is both clever and dramatic. Along with human activity, Baker reveals that the environment is changing. Tiny environmental details draw the eye—small creatures cluster around the window including a dragonfly, cricket, butterfly, caterpillar, moth and beetle - these are juxtaposed with human activity. Outside the window there is the ever-growing sign of human habitation – shops, traffic, housing developments, a small sign that says ‘Keep off the grass’ perched on a tiny patch of green. Jeannie Baker’s 2004 book ‘Belonging’ is a sequel to ‘Window’ and continues Baker’s strong message about the environment.
When the message is as clear, strong and informative as this one is in ‘Window,’ words are not needed. Baker’s work is admired the world over. She has continued creating collage since her first book, ‘Polar’ was published in 1975. Upon hearing that children have attempted to replicate her collage technique, she created ‘Playing with Collage’ (Walker Books, 2019) to support children as they experiment with their own creativity using texture and collage.
‘Window’ was chosen by The Children’s Book Council of Australia as the Picture Book of the Year in 1992.
Picture Books for Older Readers
