Child of Glass

by Beatrice Alemagna

A story about difference, exclusion, and ultimately self-acceptance, Child of Glass explores the interplay between inner and outer and the journey we have to go on to become ourselves. Child of Glass is about Gisele, a fragile, strong, transparent girl who denounces the meanness that can mark life in the world. In sparse, poetic language that all of us, however young or old, can understand, Child of Glass reminds us of our birthright to become ourselves. Freedom isn't about accepting what is; it's about asking the questions and taking the actions that allow us to be at home in the world.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Emotion, Fiction, Family, Personal Development, Fantasy

52 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2002

About the author

Beatrice Alemagna was born in Bologna, Italy in 1973. She graduated from the Istituto Superiore for industrial arts in Urbino, Italy. She has won numerous international awards for her illustration. She now lives in Paris, France, where she works as an author and illustrator as well as a designer of childrens books, posters and collages.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story reads like a fairy tale or folk tale. Giselle is a child who is made of glass, her thoughts are transparent just as if her head were a shop display. She is highly sensitive, as she grows her problems worsen, every worry results in a tiny crack. When she is old enough she moves away, trying to hide her weaknesses but finding her problems follow her wherever she goes. Finally she moves back home and accepts she is the way she is

The illustrations for this story are wonderful and I love the folk story feel of the text. I love the idea of the story, that some people feel exposed, vulnerable, wear their hearts on their sleeves, find it hard to fit in, and it's a sensible message that running away does not mean you will find a magical and more accepting place.

I can see why some found that the storyline didn't make sense, yes, if Giselle didn't like people reading her thoughts, why didn't she put a hat on, if she felt exposed, why didn't she wear some clothes. I took this as an allegory to the fact some people just feel exposed, vulnerable and unprotected whatever their outside layers maybe.

I really enjoyed the transparent pages that added layers and changed images. A wonderful book which is exactly what I would expect from this author.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A child of glass must come to terms with what others 'see' in her: she is happy and transparent - she does not seek to 'hide' anything from anyone. But the people in her village start to use her to 'mirror' their own insecurities...and so she decides to leave. Powerful book for a small child trying to come to terms with issues of identity. The art is beautiful - highest recommendation.

[Cecilia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept of this book was phenomenal. A person made completely of glass whose thoughts are projected inside her head for all to see? I was super excited.

The idea of using the transparent pages was also an amazing idea for the concept of the story!

However.

But.

Uhm...

Okay so here's a list:
*The artwork is, in my opinion, horrid and completely unsuited to the story.
*The transparent pages could have been used to MUCH greater effect and, as a whole, the concept of using them felt wasted.
*The story makes a big deal about how she's cracking and such when faced with meanness but a) this never is resolved or touched upon in the end and b)has no effect on the conclusion.
*The story just ends. It just ends in like the last two pages. So much build up on trying to find a place where she can feel accepted and instead just goes, "Ope, guess that's not possible. Guess I'll just fuck off back home and make people deal with it since I'll always be hated anyway. The End." (Quotes paraphrased)
*Terrible message to readers.

[Skip · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really for me. Born is Italy, Giselle is made entirely of glass, transparent and people can see her thoughts. When she is young, her neighbors assuage her fears, but as she ages and her thoughts are darker, she is shunned or worse, causing physical changes, eventually causing her to move away. However, things don't improve when she is away and she returns. I was not a fan of the art either.

[Amy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think there are artful books and tasteful narratives.  But it's rare that I read a book that I think should be in a museum.  This book works on ALL levels.  Its narrative is moody and soft, the art looks as though it was drawn by a child, and when it gets down to it, the design is truly something else.  Some pages in this book were made from vellum, which gets to the core of this book: you can see through this book, you can make out what's on the next page.  How does that make you feel?  Perhaps disappointed that you know what might be happening next?  Do you feel satisfied that there's less work in figuring out what's behind the page?  

When Gisele becomes an outcast when the members of her town discover that they can peer through her mind and see all of her thoughts--even the sad ones--Gisele decides to go on a journey.  After all, she might be more-liked elsewhere.  But she later returns home, holding herself proudly.  She is who she is, and if others have a problem when what and how she thinks, and how transparent she is, frankly, that's their problem.  

Overall, this was a devastatingly beautiful book.  It's not just artful, it's art.  Great for children working on figuring out where they fit in, and great for grades 1-3.

Review cross-listed here!

[Beverly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thoroughly disliked the illustrations. There was absolutely no explanation for why this transparent child did not wear any clothes. Also, she could have at least partially hidden her thoughts with a wig or scarf or something. I found the story very peculiar and unappealing.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a child of glass. Are you?

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This unusual French picture book is deep, questioning and modern. Giselle was born near Florence and Bilbao. She was born made entirely of glass, transparent and capturing the light of life around her. People could also see right into her head, viewing her thoughts as she had them. If she was fearful or worried, people would reassure her when they saw those thoughts. As she grew older though, her thoughts were sometimes very dark and sad. When people saw those things, they grew angry, asking how she could think that way and demanded that she stop. The tension of trying to change caused fractures in her glass body. Finally, Giselle decided to leave and find another place to live. But every place treated her exactly the same. Eventually, Giselle returned home, deciding to live as she is without trying to change, entirely transparent and whole.

This picture book wrestles with the very idea that children have dark thoughts, that they are worried and afraid at times, that their imaginations are not always light and playful. It’s a story about being different and being forced to conform uniquely to the crowd’s ideas. Yet it is also a story about finding oneself, living life on your own terms. The book is about reality, a lovely allegory to the importance put upon conforming and the necessity for us all to live our authentic lives, transparently.

The illustrations are complex and filled with different media. They include collage, different types of pens, markers, and pencils. They are layered and dramatic, capturing the mood of each part of the story. Some of the pages are transparent, looking through Giselle’s thoughts and emotions.

Unique and fascinating, this picture book embraces the dark side of our minds and the beauty of individuals. Appropriate for ages 5-7.

[Anne Lutomia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gisele the child made of glass is misunderstood and rejected by her community because of her transparent emotions. She decides to leave and live in other places but does not fit in. She decides to return home "completely whole in herself, at last".

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s hard to rate this book. I love the art. But the story....not really for the picture book demographic imo. Maybe for the parents. But I would be really interested to hear what a children’s librarian thinks.

[Hanna Eddles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a lovely book and has so much to un pick and explore! The concept of being transparent and for everyone else being able to see someone’s thoughts and feeling was something that helps to normalise but also show how we need to be accepting.

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

What if your every thought could be seen? Seems more like a Patrick Ness book than a picture book. This gives the read much to ponder but most kids will just scratch their foreheads happy their confusion wasn't on display. I do think it would lead to an excellent thematic discussion for older students.

[Guilherme Semionato · Rating 2 out of 5]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zik4C...

[Gooshe · Rating 4 out of 5]

«ژیزل» دخترکی شفاف است. شفاف به معنای شیشه‌ای. دختری زلال و شکننده که هر چه در سرش می‌گذرد یا هر چه بر سر قلبش می‌آید، برای همه قابل دیدن است. پیشانی شفاف‌اش، فکر‌های بد را هم مثل خوب‌ها نمایش می‌دهد.
ژیزل برای مردم جالب و جذاب است. همه از همه‌جا به شهر کوچک آنها می‌آیند و صف می‌کشند تا این دختر شیشه‌ای شفاف را از نزدیک ببینند.
«...فوق‌العاده است... چقدر زیباست... می‌تونیم بهش دست بزنیم؟ چطور توی شلوغی پیداش می‌کنید؟...»
اما این چیزها برای او و پدر و مادرش هیچ جذابیتی ندارد. آنها نگران اتفاقی هستند که به زودی بعد از این هیاهو خودش را نشان می‌دهد.
این ستایش‌ها دوامی ندارد. مردم کم‌کم از این همه تفاوت، یک‌رنگی و شفافیتِ خالصانه ژیزل برآشفته می‌شوند:
«نمی‌تونی افکارت رو برای خودت نگه داری؟»
«اوه! ژیزل! واقعا خجالت نمی‌کشی که این چیزهای افتضاح رو نشون می‌دی؟»
ژیزل در هم می‌شکند و تسلیم می‌شود. برای تغییر خودش نمی‌تواند کاری کند. هر چه در افکارش می‌گذرد، هر برنامه و ایده و هر زیبایی و زشتی که می‌بیند، در وجودش آشکار است و مردم برنمی‌تابند بین‌شان کسی باشد که ظاهر و باطن‌اش قابل دیدن است. ژیزل شهر و خانواده‌اش را ترک می‌کند.
سفر و حضر، دوری و ��نهایی و بی‌کسی او را به خودش برمی‌گرداند. درخشان و پرنور، حساس و شفاف، اما مصمم. به شهرش برمی‌گردد و با نشان می‌دهد، چقدر خودباور و مطمئن با همان شفافیت و زلالی، به زندگی ادامه می‌دهد.
بئاتریچ آلِ��انییا تصویرساز و نویسنده ایتالیایی که در فرانسه زندگی می‌کند، در کتاب «کودک شیشه‌ای» برای کودکان از تفاوت‌ها، طردشدن‌ها، تنهایی و یاس می‌گوید. حالاتی که می‌تواند به سفری درون و برون انسان منجر شود. در این مسیر جاده سخت و ناهمواری است که باید طی کنیم تا خود را شناخت،‌ پذیرفت و با همه تفاوت‌ها، خود شد.

[Darcy · Rating 2 out of 5]

An odd book. Kids might enjoy the semi-transparent pages or interesting art choices. However, there is much left unresolved in this book and the choice of transparent pages could have added much more under different pages. It seems as if too many ideas were added to a book that was also intentionally a short picture book. The subject matter may be good for older kids if they do not get confused easily. At best, take some interesting concepts from the book (ex. people can see all your thoughts) and leave the rest.

[robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting premise - a child of glass. But, for me, the illustrations were too sharp and jarring, the story a little too much for a juvenile book. Understanding it is a translation from the French, I think it lost something in the translation. I feel the translucent pages could have been used to better effect. A decent story about being yourself and finding your place, but just didn't quite get there for me.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't get this book. Picture books are an interesting genre because authors write for many different kinds of audiences. I felt like this was geared toward adults...and I didn't love the illustrations at all. Just not my cup of tea.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally tracked this book down through an Interlibrary loan, and it did not disappoint. I absolutely love the concept of a girl who was born entirely made of glass. Alemagna created vellum inserts that simulate this effect, bringing the "child of glass" concept to life wonderfully!

Sparkling and luminous, Gisele is viewed with wonder and awe by everyone. However, the downside of being completely transparent is that your innermost thoughts and feelings are always on display, and people don't necessarily appreciate that. People pressure her to conceal her darker, more complex feelings, and she soon begins to feel alienated from her home. Gisele must, therefore, embark on a journey to find her place in the world!

In terms of logic and story, this book doesn't 100% stick the landing, but I don't care!

Types of Picture Books We Have More Than Enough Of:
-Books by celebrities
-Licensed storybooks from major corporations
-Books created for the sake of cute Instagram posts

Types of Picture Books We Are Severely Lacking
-Weird, dreamlike books, with unusual formatting and deep symbolism.

[Anne with Violets · Rating 3 out of 5]

A child whose entire body is glass takes in the light around them and reflects it beautifully. The child's emotions and thoughts are completely visible to others. I think it would be more likely to hurt oneself by revealing one's feelings and thoughts so transparently, but in the picture book, others are angry with the child. In the end, the child leaves to find people who accept her just as she is.

The idea of a child made of glass is a metaphor for many things. It's a metaphor for a child who is vulnerable, a child who can't hide their feelings, and so on. Unfortunately, the storyline is lackluster for such an original setting. There's no explanation of how the glass child came to be a child with a solid inner life. It's just that she traveled the world and found that no one understood her, so she decided to return to her hometown and be herself. I can't help but feel disappointed.

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved use of the translucent vellum pages, and the idea of people being able to see her thoughts. However, I really wanted the author to explore the whole idea not having a private thought to yourself, and the difficulty of everyone seeing not only your positive thoughts, but also your negative ones, but I felt that it was left unresolved. Also left unresolved was the idea of her being sensitive and starting to crack. I would have been more satisfied with the ending had there been more of a connection between her starting to crack and her feeling not accepted, if her coming to accept herself didn't feel so rushed at the end, but instead it felt like "she left, no one accepted her, she came back home and was content. The End."

[Ellon · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I think the concept was interesting- a fragile, transparent child whose thoughts are right there on display. But as many other reviewers mention, there wasn't really a resolution in the book. She just kind of gives up on being accepted and goes back home. I did find some of the writing to be beautiful which is why I didn't go straight for the 1 star since I completely hated the illustrations. The transparent pages were cool but not really utilized in a good way. But the illustrations were ugly and the girl was naked throughout the book with privates clearly drawn. I would definitely not have this book in my school library.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this interesting picture book on the shelf of my Library. Yay, for the power of Libraries where you can randomly pluck pretty books off the shelves to take home and bring back without any invested time or energy normally applied before purchasing.

Treasures can sit and wait to be loved by the right person. This one didn’t scream forever shelf to me personally, but I found it interesting, also to note it was originally published in French. I felt a few of the transitional awkwardness between pages as the story unfolds may have been from translating versus the intent, still the illustrations are interesting. Unique book I am glad I picked up.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

"she had had enough of leaving and looking for the place where she might fit in. On that day, content within herself, she turned around and went home. Even though the truth could be scary and people preferred to ignore it"

I appreciate the innovativeness of this picture book. It contains a unique story and the sketched style is also outstanding. However, the plot is underdeveloped and the transparent pages aren't integrated with care.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

A girl is born of glass and she discovers that all of her thoughts are for all to see. As she grows, her thoughts can be negative and with each negative thought, a crack develops. People are tired of her negative thoughts so she leaves her family to find peace. She discovers that peace is not meant to be if she is away from her family and friends. When she becomes comfortable in her own skin, she returns home.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is something tragically beautiful about this book, but it is not a book for children; it is an art book. The velum pages are a lovely touch and the concept is engaging. However, why cant' the girl wear clothes? How did she solve her problem? She went away and came back. There was no critical moment or growth. As a picture book, it's a 1 or a 2. As an art book for adults, it is a 3 or 4.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally I love Alemagna's books, but this one missed the mark for me. The message was fine, but my kids found it inappropriate that the kid is naked. If you like artsy, cerebral books, I can see why this would appeal to you. But the nudity/modesty thing prevented us from truly enjoying it. Wish the illustrator could have just strategically covered the swimsuit areas.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy a new picture book with an original twist, so this one was interesting. However, it bugged me that she didn't put on a wig and clothes to stop people from seeing into her thoughts. I get the idea that she is different and supposedly learned to cope with it, which is a great lesson, but if one is tired of standing out in a crowd, how about donning some clothes?

[João Teixeira · Rating 3 out of 5]

A ideia de uma menina feita de cidro e que, por isso, é possível saber o que pensa é uma metáfora interessante para alguém que não esconde aquilo que pensa ou sente... Apenas não gostei da parte da história em que a menina foge dos outros até ao dia em que decide voltar para casa. A resolução é simplista e apressada. Que pena.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe this is a Best Illustrated Book of 2019, but it is for a special child or situation, best used one-on-one because of the design. It has beautiful end pages. The style is unique: some pages use overlays to reveal various moods and emotions.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An elementary and up picture book about a child born with a see through skin condition consequently she shows are her emotions all the time upsetting soem people. Cna she find her way? Nice identity themes