A PAGE IN THE WIND

This is the life story of a newspaper—as told by the newspaper itself, naturally.

The story is told in a straightforward manner right from the beginning: “I came into the world early one morning, in a large, cold place. / There were other newborns like me, and we all kept one another warm.” Only by looking at the illustrations is the story completed. Readers then see this is not the story of a human or other mammal but of a newspaper. And so it continues, with the illustrations expanding and extending the text. One by one, each newspaper finds a home until only the protagonist is left. When the wind picks up, it “comes apart,” and a “long journey” begins. Each page travels to a different place, where it is put to a different use by its finder. Readers will find the true whimsy in this book in the clever illustrations. When the sheet of paper arrives at the home of a hardworking woman it says: “With my arrival, her face grew bright again.” Readers then see her using the newspaper to polish the mirror. The mixed-media illustrations portray white characters and appropriately include newspaper collages with Spanish words—the original language the book was written in (Una hoja en el viento). This is one to be looked at several times to fully appreciate its quiet message.

A thoughtful contemplation on how our lives are affected by our interactions.