Text and art: António Jorge Gonçalves
Publisher: Edições Assembleia da República
Country: Portugal, 2024
What the jury said:
This book recounts a fictionalized and tragic experience of fascist dictatorship, inspired by Portugal’s history. An imaginary dictator (clearly inspired by Antonio Salazar) demands blind obedience from the entire population even when his orders are insane and inhuman. Through the eyes of young Antonio, the readers feel in their bones what it means to live under a dictatorship that poisons every vignette and every page. The author manages to tell the story in an energetic style, with strong colors, expressionistic geometries and a liberating ending. This book is part of a series called “Missão: Democracia”, published by the Portuguese Parliament in 2024 as part of the many cultural initiatives celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution that occurred in 1974. The collection features 12 picture books, each by different Portuguese children’s writers and illustrators, exploring themes such as democracy and freedom as well as delving into how the national democratic system works. The collection aims to be an introductory path to the basic concepts of democracy aimed at young readers.
Gonçalves’ comic book is an important title in our current times, demonstrating how a democracy can become a dictatorship in very short order, and educating young people in how to recognize the signs of fascism and fight for freedom.
Text: Sabine Lemire
Art: Rasmus Bregnhøi
Publisher: Gads Børnebøger
Country: Denmark, 2024
What the jury said:
This unique and thought-provoking comic book masterfully blends humor and sincerity to explore the concept of death for young readers. The story follows Dea, whose hamster, Kurt, has been flattened in a bicycle accident. While Dea hopes Kurt is still alive, her friend Sven remains doubtful. Their search for answers leads them to a cemetery, where they meet a mysterious man—also named Kurt—who shares fascinating stories about the lives and deaths of various animals. The playful yet expressive drawings and witty dialogue lighten the weight of the topics, adding a touch of absurdity. This reinforces the book’s engaging and thoughtful approach, encouraging open discussions about loss and grief.
Text and art: Jérémie Moreau
Publisher: Editions 2024
Country: France, 2024
What the jury said:
A book about the interrelationship between the human world and the rest of nature, highlighting the ecological and environmental tale with animals as the main protagonists. The main character is a toad who will learn to survive the dangers of both worlds, while also finding friends and mentors. Seen from the perspective of the toad, the animal and the forest, the human world is destructive, but the reader also experiences the animal world in its most violent aspects, as “nature, red in tooth and claw.” It is also a story about growing up and transformation.
Alyte is like a sample book of how comics work, exposing the reader to the use of color, page layouts, and panel composition, with an enormous sense of dynamism. The entire book, from cover to paper to art, is a tribute to the power of visual language.
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