#241 of 1001 · March 29, 2021

We’ve all imagined ourselves on marvelous adventures in search of hidden treasure. But what if the object of your quest were invisible, intangible? What tools are needed to navigate a voyage of the heart? This question fuels the spiritual journey of Colin Thompson’s Looking for Atlantis. A young boy’s grandfather returns from a lifetime of ocean exploits. Now old and infirm, he leaves his chest of riches to his grandson, and tells the boy to find Atlantis—which, he cryptically hints, can be found anywhere and everywhere, as long as you know how to look. But Atlantis proves elusive indeed, and perhaps wholly out of reach. With careful and sensitive wording, Thompson aligns the literal with the metaphorical, delicately blurring the line between physical search and emotional introspection. His exquisitely detailed illustrations present a nearly overwhelming array of nooks and crannies, each of which holds a new and tantalizing secret. Ultimately, Thompson uses the idea of a treasure hunt as a metaphor for processing grief and loss, the mythical city itself a symbol for enduring love and lasting legacy. #atlantis #grandpa #grandfather #grandson #treasure #death #grief #loss #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks