#988 of 1001 · April 15, 2023

What would you do at the end of the world? If you were the last surviving member of your civilization, where would you seek shelter? How would you find the strength to keep moving? If you somehow discovered one last act of goodness you could perform, how far would you go to get the job done? These and other weighty questions emerge from a reading of Nonstop, the last work by @tomiungerer. Earth has sunk into desolation. The plants have withered and the animals have perished. The human population has fled to the moon, leaving behind one man, Vasco, who makes his way through the deserted landscapes accompanied only by his shadow. The unfortunate wanderer accepts a letter from a creature named Nothing. Once he locates Nothing’s wife, she charges him with the care of their young child Poco. Vasco and Poco make their way through frigid ice floes, a forest of collapsing metal pipes, and a hazardous factory complex studded with magma pits. Finally, they board a train that takes them out into the wilderness. There, impossibly but undeniably, stands an enormous cake. Vasco and Poco survive inside the bizarre shelter, which contains enough supplies to sustain them for the rest of their lives. Ungerer’s bold text and stark illustrations create a mood of oppressive darkness—leavened gently by the unexpected safe haven at the story’s end. #earth #moon #end #world #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks