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Flatland
From first time children's author David Sayre and award-winning illustrator Rebecca Emberley comes a story of our place in the universe as experienced by Owuza and his Flatlander friends. Follow along as they explore Flatland and its limits, discovering themselves in the process. This story may take you beyond your ordinary experience and open discussion about where "here" is, what is out "there," and what happens when people and things we love are no longer where we can see them. Emberley's gorgeous, tapestry-like depictions of Flatland are a perfect foil for Sayre's deep, yet simple story. www.twolittlebirdsbooks.com
- GenresPicture Books
32 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2014
1 person is currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
David Sayre
5 books6 followersDavid Sayre’s writing grows out of two uncommon but parallel careers. Leading advances in the sciences of communication and energy, he has ventured with rare insight into the back wards of violent and despairing institutions and neighborhoods. Sayre’s writing explores the evolution of our species in our “places of great striving.” Writing for adults and for children, his books explore the themes of entropy, love and loss, beauty and truth. Sayre gives readers much to savor, as they journey toward Home.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 21, 2014
This picture book is not related to the novella FLATLAND by Edwin Abbott (1884), other than both are occupied by characters who are geometric shapes. The novella FLATLAND satirized a society split into rigid classes. The picture book FLATLAND deals subtly with the mature themes of relationships, death, and spirituality.
The protagonist Owuza arrives in Flatland as a speck, and gradually grows into a fully realized being. He makes friends, shares his ideas, creates beautiful things with them, and learns to love. Then, without warning, Owuza is gone. His friends look all over for him, and find him in an unexpected place.
Fans of Rebecca Emerley’s artwork will recognize the effective design of colorful scenes (as if from roughly cut pieces of construction paper) from her earlier books, like CHICKEN LITTLE and THERE WAS AN OLD MONSTER.
FLATLAND is a touching tale that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. It won a “Recommended” badge from the Parents’ Choice Foundation. The publisher, Two Little Birds, a small hybrid press co-founded by illustrator Emberley, admirably donates a book to a child for every book they sell.
The protagonist Owuza arrives in Flatland as a speck, and gradually grows into a fully realized being. He makes friends, shares his ideas, creates beautiful things with them, and learns to love. Then, without warning, Owuza is gone. His friends look all over for him, and find him in an unexpected place.
Fans of Rebecca Emerley’s artwork will recognize the effective design of colorful scenes (as if from roughly cut pieces of construction paper) from her earlier books, like CHICKEN LITTLE and THERE WAS AN OLD MONSTER.
FLATLAND is a touching tale that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. It won a “Recommended” badge from the Parents’ Choice Foundation. The publisher, Two Little Birds, a small hybrid press co-founded by illustrator Emberley, admirably donates a book to a child for every book they sell.
December 27, 2018
Strange book. Kids didn't like. Non of us really understood it.
October 26, 2020
One of the greatest books ever written
January 29, 2017
This is a story about the new kid in town, in this case the kid is Owuza and the town in Flatland. When Owuza arrived, he was nothing but a speck and he had to grow, both in size as well as in learning and understanding the new sights, smells and sounds he is experiencing. While it was exciting, it was also scary, for new things are generally both.
Once Owuza found the courage to roam he discovered many new friends and they had a lot of fun together. Eventually, Owuza started wondering what was beyond the bounds of Flatland and with his friends, they together learn what they can accomplish together.
The weakness in this book is the abstract events towards the end of the book, where the interpretation is more complex than the capability of the young reader that is the target audience. Some of the critical sentences are:
“Together they saw what they couldn’t see apart. There was more to themselves and more to each other.”
Given that the text is written at the level of the early elementary school child, these concepts will generally be beyond them.
Once Owuza found the courage to roam he discovered many new friends and they had a lot of fun together. Eventually, Owuza started wondering what was beyond the bounds of Flatland and with his friends, they together learn what they can accomplish together.
The weakness in this book is the abstract events towards the end of the book, where the interpretation is more complex than the capability of the young reader that is the target audience. Some of the critical sentences are:
“Together they saw what they couldn’t see apart. There was more to themselves and more to each other.”
Given that the text is written at the level of the early elementary school child, these concepts will generally be beyond them.
October 15, 2014
This book has a fairly abstract message with pictures to go along with it. The pictures might help inspire some creativity with the narration of what the readers might think Flatland is or what kinds of creatures these might be. It seems as though that is the author's intention - that nothing is explicitly stated, so it is up to the reader to find meaning for him/herself.
November 8, 2014
Beautiful message, beautiful illustrations!
March 18, 2015
Very interesting.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews