FICTION

WINNER 2019 EDITION

Section dedicated to narrative, traditional stories and illustrated fairy tales

Baobab, Prague, Czech Republic

 

Panáček, pecka, švestka, poleno a zase panáček
(Puppet, Plum Pit, Plum, Plank, and back to Puppet)

 

Text by Vojtěch Mašek, illustrations by Chrudoš Valoušek, graphic design Juraj Horváth

 

What the Jury said:

What’s new about Pinocchio? It’s a long story, this book tells us. Everything about this psychedelic, pop, absurd, humoristic and satirical picturebook is unexpected. The beloved puppet of children’s literature, a figure that has been a continuous inspiration for artists all over the world, here presents an entirely new gallery of heroes and adventures. The graphic design plays with scale. The pages are peopled with historiated initials reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts, giant page numbers, avant-garde references and a medley of geometrical characters, their neon colours boldly outlined in black. Spread after spread, the mix of different layouts and the uncommon use of line-cut technique make for a truly extraordinary picturebook.  

Albin Michel Jeunesse, Paris, France

 

Et puis

 

Text and illustrtations by Icinori

 

What the Jury said:

This puzzle of a picturebook presents a sequence of surreal double-spread scenarios populated by fantastical, unsettling tool-headed figures who busily build a civilization. Rich with references to western art, such as Hieronymus Bosch and surrealism of the twentieth-century, this dystopian story is about the eternal human obsession to transform the planet. The story covers a time scale from September through to the following August. The question at the heart of the book – and then what? – investigates issues of technical progress and a sustainable future. The question is left unanswered. 

 

 

Changbi Publishers, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

 

The Moon over the Apple Orchard

 

Text by Kwon Jung-saeng, illustrations by Yoon Mi-sook

 

What the Jury said:

The Jury was delighted by the affecting atmosphere of this picturebook, which depicts everyday life in a rural community. The mixed-media illustrations show both loving gestures, hardship, poverty, disease and care for the elderly. In detailed scenes of the natural landscape and agricultural work, the illustrations show the richness and fragility of life. 

  

Éditions Thierry Magnier, Paris, France

 

À travers

 

Text and illustrations by Tom Haugomat

 

What the Jury said:

 

Starting with the binocular image on the cover, this almost wordless book takes readers on a cinematic journey through a man’s life across time and space. Each two-page spread juxtaposes viewpoints: on the left, the reader’s views of the character, who at the outset is a child , and on the right, the man’s view of the world. The sparest of texts accompanies this visual account: a date indicated by the month and year, a name and the geographical region of a place. This stunning work uses a retro-vintage printing style with just three colors, no half-tones, and minimalist composition. A truly unique visual poem.