THE SEA - 2024 Special Category

WINNER

Giù nel blu - Dalla superficie agli abissi: viaggio sottomarino sfogliabile (Down in the Blue - From the Surface to the Abyss: a Browsable Underwater Journey)

Nomos Edizioni
Italy
Text by Gianumberto Accinelli
Images by Giulia Zaffaroni

What the jury said:
Like a modern-day Jules Verne adventure, this sea exploration journey gradually sinks deeper and deeper, sharing specific scientific details about the many life forms encountered on a descent to the ocean floor. As we descend, the pages become darker and darker, until it becomes too dark to see. These vast, unexplored areas of ocean remain a mystery; creatures living in its deepest parts are still to be discovered: an enigma that, in itself, is of profound value.

SPECIAL MENTION

Pleine Mer (Into the Sea)

Gautier-Languereau
France
Text and images by Antoine Guilloppé

What the jury said:
This interactive book employs paper engineering techniques, including perforated and die-cut pages, to engage readers in an underwater game of hide-and-seek. The journey culminates in the discovery of a pearl, which may be interpreted as a metaphor for the sea – a precious biotope worthy of protection.

SPECIAL MENTION

死んだかいぞく Shinda Kaizoku (The Dead Pirate)

Poplar Publishing
Japan
Text and images by Masakatsu Shimoda

What the jury said:
This book combines a pirate adventure with an exploration of the cycle of life. The pirate at the heart of this gripping story captivates the reader’s attention from page one, transforming into a submarine-like vessel to show us marine creatures and life-regenerating processes that take place in the depths of the sea.