On the Other Side of the Garden by Jairo Buitrago - Illustrated by Rafael Yockteng

Sensitive and poignant, Jairo Buitrago's On the Other Side of the Garden touches on the subject of family separation. Isabel is a little girl whose father has taken her to live with her grandmother in the countryside. Confused and lonely, Isabel tries to cope with her situation. At night while trying to fall asleep, Isabel meets three animal friends:  an owl, a frog and a mouse. They show her the beauty in her new surroundings and allow her time to grieve. Were Isabel's animal friends real or was she sleep walking again? Readers can draw their own conclusions.

This picture book has minimal text that is slow paced, written in the first person by Isabel. The environment is mostly solemn with bits of comic relief from the mouse but gets uplifted in the end. An emotional and thoughtful approach to helping children through the stresses of family separation. Translated to English by Elisa Amado.

The digital illustrations by Rafael Yockteng uses a limited colour palette. The depiction of the farm is wonderfully illustrated. The nighttime scenes are not too dark and the positions of the animals are cleverly placed. This bit of humour in the illustrations help to lighten the mood. Recommended for ages 5+.

Amazon
Groundwood Books 2018
Hardcover 56p
9.8" x 9.8"