From
him to me to you. The dedication of this exquisite book by Anthony
Bertini is made to his father Andrea who told him things; to his children to
whom he told things, and to their children who will be told things.
The child cannot fathom the worth of the words yet
because he is too young. They will be recalled later when he can understand the
meaning and value of the precious gems that fall from his father’s mouth.
From page to page, the father’s words of wisdom are
sweet and true. They could be those of any parent to any child anywhere.
They are accompanied by stunning illustrations that reflect the situation being discussed between the two main characters. The illustrations speak their own language in colours and images that recall the child’s roots and his father’s identity.
They are accompanied by stunning illustrations that reflect the situation being discussed between the two main characters. The illustrations speak their own language in colours and images that recall the child’s roots and his father’s identity.
The artwork fill the pages in double spreads, so
the text seems small in its confined space, but it is huge in meaning. Small is all you know. Time will come soon
enough to be big. The father is depicted carrying the child amongst a crowd
of grown-ups, some whose bodies alone are shown, and up to the shoulders only.
This speaks volumes.
This book for me is a journey into the past. A
salute to precious memories and lessons learnt that stay with us a lifetime.
It’s about recollections that sustain us after loved ones have moved on, and in
turn we pass them onto our children and they to theirs, in order to keep the
words and the person who spoke them, alive in our hearts.
This is one of those exceptional books that are returned
to time and time again due to their outstanding significance.
Title:
Things My Pa Told Me
Author:
Anthony Bertini
Illustrator:
Jonathan Bentley
Publisher:
Hardie Grant, $ 24.99
Publication
Date: August 2018
Format:
Hardcover
ISBN:
9781760501426
For
ages: 4+
Type:
Picture Book
