#463 of 1001 · November 6, 2021

Come and let’s take a peek at The Blue Pebble by @annegaellebalpe and @evetharlet. Oli is a tiny humanoid creature who dwells in the forest. After finding a little blue pebble, he begins to wonder about its purpose and meanders from place to place showing it to everyone he meets. However, nobody shares Oli’s confidence that it will come in handy. The wild boar encourages him to find food for the winter, the wolf suggests making a weapon, and three elves invite him to join them in a game of marbles; all urge him to throw the pebble away. Eventually, he encounters a little girl whose doll is missing one of its eyes. She has been advised to discard the doll but cannot bear to part with it. Oli and the girl soon realize that the blue pebble is in fact the lost eye, and so two things that seemed worthless are shown to fit together perfectly. Balpe’s text, translated into English by Kathryn Bishop, advises us that things might have a use beyond what we notice at first glance. Tharlet’s illustrations, with their cool washes of color, celebrate a gentle and unhurried approach to life. #blue #doll #eye #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #classicchildrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks