#348 of 1001 · July 14, 2021

Warning—this story is not for the faint of heart, for it gazes unflinchingly into the experience of a child at the mercy of a cold and apathetic world. Carly by Annegert Fuchshuber is a difficult but vitally important work of fiction. Harrowing from the very beginning, the plot follows a little girl as she flees from the fiery devastation of an unspecified conflict or disaster. No family, no friends, she searches high and low for shelter and comfort, with little success. In the land of the Stone-eaters, she cannot consume the food. In the land of the Silk-tails, she cannot blend in. In the land of the Smoky-crows, she cannot adjust to the habitat. In the land of the Greedy-managers, she cannot even garner a shred of sympathy. The tale ends on an uncertain but optimistic note as Carly encounters kindness and support from an unlikely source: a Fool. Originally published in German as “Karlinchen”, the gripping text has been translated into English by Florence Howe and Heidi Kirk. Fuchshuber’s illustrations depict the sobering sequence of events in a style that is fanciful yet unsentimental. #refugees #food #shelter #safety #peace #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks