"It would be great if adults sometimes were like kids": a wordless picture book with a strong anti-military message.
Children copy what they see, good or bad. Like, for example, wars. Playing war games has always been a staple fare of childhood. Using a street war game as the story’s setting, Inna Karamyan creates a powerful narrative that doesn’t need any words. It starts with cheerful kids rushing to the playground. The next minute, they are divided into two opposing camps coloured in red and green. They are no longer presented as individuals, but rather a force of vengeance, eager to take out their anger on each other. They fight and fight and fight until one of the kids gets injured. As he is loaded into the ambulance, the fight resumes with renewed vigour but soon it dies out and children leave the playground covered in debris. It is now left for the janitor to clean the mess. The next day as children see their friend with a plastered broken arm, they look sorry and repentant, and their playground turns back into a happy shared place.
KEY SELLING POINTS
Inna Karamyan is an Armenian born in Georgia in 1982. Since childhood she has witnessed a few military conflicts which made war the biggest fear of her life. Created in 2021, this book is her way to talk about the futility of war without its grim realities.
A strong debut book in which Inna presents herself as a promising picturebook author.
A great discussion starter about the futility of war.
Sketchy watercolour and pencil illustrations that would appeal to young readers.
Silent book Age: 6+ Pages: 48 Unpublished, in progress
