Chihiro Takeuchi, All in a year, Berbay, October 2023, 40 pp., RRP $26.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922610652
Moving on from All in a day, the Tanaka family is moving out of the apartment they occupied then to a house in All in a year. On each double-page spread, the brightly coloured illustrations show the family undertaking different activities as the seasons change around them.
The text in black makes statements about what is happening while questions in different colours set puzzles for the reader. These might involve finding hidden objects or counting objects. Some of their neighbours from the apartment building make an appearance and the pictures tell several stories not mentioned in the text. At the end of the book readers can see who moves into the Tanakas’ previous residence.
The artwork is created using papercuts, with each illustration containing small pieces placed carefully with tweezers. The overall effect is intriguing. Despite the simple shapes used, facial expressions are still obvious and movement shown. The fireworks display page is beautiful. The only downside for Australian readers is that the year is a northern hemisphere year, with Christmas and New Year in winter and Halloween in autumn, but this creates a wonderful teaching opportunity for the adults sharing this book with children.
Reviewed by Lynne Babbage
