Every once in a while, a children's picture book will capture me in a way that I just don't expect it to. The Only Child by Guojing is one that has got me right now. This beautiful story, told only through illustrations, includes a little child and snow and a reindeer, which makes it a nice read for this time of year, but it's so much more than that.
This is a beautiful story about realizing you're lost, making new friends, and finding your way back home again.
Chinese illustrator Guojing grew up a very lonely only child in China, and this book is loosely based on an incident from her childhood when she got lost traveling alone (at just 6 years old!) to her grandmother's house. She eventually found her way, and that path home became the inspiration for this story.
Of course, she wasn't led back home by a friendly reindeer or cuddly bear-like creature who floats in the sky, like the little child in the book. But those elements are part of what make the book really magical.
The other thing I love about this story is the lack of words, which probably sounds strange coming from a writer. I think my kids and I both have a tendency to speed through books when I'm reading them out loud, but a wordless book forces you to slow down and imagine what's happening in the story. I'm more likely to pull my kid up into my lap --whether he's one of my readers or not quite yet -- and take some time to really experience the book together. That's something really special.
You can find The Only Child by Guojing for nearly 50% off at our affiliate Amazon, or check your local indie bookseller.
