La Organización Internacional de la Migración (OIM) estima que en el mundo hay 258 millones de inmigrantes, dato que representa casi un 4 % del total de la humanidad. El número de personas que huye de la guerra, la persecución y los conflictos superó los 70 millones en 2018, según el último informe de la Agencia de la ONU para los Refugiados.
Este libro álbum sin palabras narra con imágenes de extraordinaria fuerza el viaje de un grupo de animales que deja atrás un bosque nocturno que carece de hojas. Es la historia de una gran y única migración, un viaje en el que se sacrifican cosas, se dejan atrás seres queridos, se deben cruzar fronteras…
Las ilustraciones de Issa Watanabe narran una situación real, sin eufemismos, que conmueve al lector con un relato construido desde lo cotidiano ―escenas de la rutina en campos de refugiados u otras imágenes sobre migraciones que se difunden habitualmente en los medios de comunicación― para provocar la reflexión y, ¿por qué no?, promover la empatía y la solidaridad.
Este álbum silencioso ofrece en la contraportada las únicas palabras que no se deben obviar cuando se trata de debatir sobre la migración forzosa de personas: hambre, tragedia, cierre de fronteras, crisis humanitaria, derechos humanos...
Un libro necesario que sumerge al lector en un periplo de incertidumbre, donde conviven la muerte y la esperanza de ver cómo en un desierto de oscuridad vuelve a crecer la hierba.
Migrants is timely, because it shows a journey from a hopeless past to a hopeful future. It is timeless, because that's the fate of millions of people around the world throughout history.
Without words, only in pictures does Issa Watanabe tell the story of a group of animals, a wolf, a goose, a rhinoceros, a bear, and others. They're fleeing, from what we can only imagine, but they look tired, broken, with physical scars. And yet they are united, find strength in each other, form friendships. Death impersonated joins them on their journey, watches them from afar, a silent witness and protector.
I know words can move mountains, but so can Watanabe's images. They are heartbreakingly beautiful.
Relying on a stark black background throughout all the pages and colorful animals moving across its pages, this wordless picture book will leave an impression on readers as they return to it again and again to reflect on its contents. In the opening pages, two creatures--a blue-feathered bird and what looks to be a small human or could represent Death--come across a small brown suitcase and join others who are on the move. It seems that each of these animals is carrying and wearing everything they possess as they journey to wherever they are traveling. Over the course of the pages, it is clear that they are tired and worried, yet willing to share whatever meager possessions or foods they have with their sojourners. These are not happy faces as they line up for something to eat or lie down to sleep. A double-page spread showing the unusual pairings of a lion and a mallard and a fox and a bunny nestled together is particularly meaningful. I was moved by this scene and kept staring at the gray rhinoceros on the right-hand side of the page. Wrapped in a dark-gray blanket and huddled near the others, the rhino has a broken horn, perhaps from a long, hard life or a violent encounter, and seems on the edge of despair even while around the edges of the encampment, bright leaves and trees seem to offer hope of a better tomorrow. On the next two pages, the animals trudge on through the pitch-dark world. They help each other as they find a boat, pile in, and head onward. Of course, there are far too many passengers, and water swamps the boat due to their weight. Not everyone makes it to shore, and the animals gather around the body of one compatriot, washed ashore. There is no sign of that rhinoceros, which leads to me to conclude that the poor animal was lost at sea. After mourning and paying their dues, the animals move on, finally reaching their destination as the gray shrubs they have passed by burst into pink blooms. There is no need for words since the magnificent illustrations effectively tell this tale of migration, leaving readers to wonder why they had to leave their homes. Was it a choice? Were they forced to leave? What happens next? It's hard not to feel empathy and concern for the animals and imagine all the many migratory human refugees in their place.
Qué potente y a la vez sutil forma de narrar a través de las imágenes podemos encontrar en Migrantes.
Hablar sobre la migración con ese nivel tremendo de humanidad y sensibilidad lo pueden hacer actualmente pocos artistas tan bien como lo hace Watanabe.
Migrants is a work of art and creativity that belongs in every children’s museum all over the world! If I could I would give Migrants twenty stars!
Migrants is a story told in pictures.
Migrants is a crafty constructed story in that the migrants are animals. The animals are being followed by what looks like death. The migrants are carrying everything they own on their backs.
We follow the migrants on their trek to a different life not knowing if it will be a better life. They come to a body of water they must cross and not all of them make it.
Migrants is beautifully told through pictures. Each page is a work of art! The cover is a work of art! Illustrator Howard McWilliam did a fantastic job in drawing the author’s thoughts.
Author Marke is brilliant in how she used the illustrations and color to demonstrate quite and loudness.
Un crudo retrato, y digo retrato porque literalmente es un libro de ilustraciones, no hay texto, de la migración forzosa.
En unas pocas páginas acompañamos en su viaje a un grupo de migrantes hacia lo desconocido, para ellos una esperanza de no sólo una vida mejor sino la propia supervivencia. Tras ellos aparece un nuevo compañero que se une al grupo, la propia muerte, que los acompañará durante todo el camino.
Un relato triste con una ilustración oscura, cargada de detalles, abierta a la interpretación subjetiva.
This is one of those books that just moved me in a way that surprised even me. It is a wordless book, with different very colorful, very individualized animals traveling together set against a very black background in which you can see the leafless forest through which the animals are walking. The animals are followed by death in the form of a skeleton, and a blue ibis, a bird that symbolizes life and death, past and present, according to the author. The story follows their journey from the time they enter the forest, as they sit together and share a meal, then their journey over water in an overcrowded boat, and finally landing in a new country, where readers will notice that colorful flowers in the background begin to replace the leafless muted forest. Their journey may have been successful, but they did suffer one loss on the way that affected all the travelers and probably most readers. This is a picture book for older readers that is sure to generate some interesting and much needed discussions. The publisher, Gecko Press, has posted an informative interview with the author that I would highly recommend reading, and you can find it HERE. You can also find a useful guide for lessons that can be used in a classroom HERE
Un silent book che mi ha molto colpita per la durezza del tema, e per come rappresenta senza parole la fatica, la sofferenza, la speranza, la determinazione di chi si mette in cammino per emigrare in un altro Paese senza neanche sapere se ci arriverà, in questo paese. Senza avere il privilegio di poter decidere come o quando arrivare.
Una serie di animali tutti diversi, distinti con un'attenzione significativa per i dettagli dall'illustratrice sudamericana, si mettono in cammino partendo da una foresta, su un fondo nero come una notte senza stelle e senza luna. Una piccola Morte avvolta in un mantello a fiori, l'unica figura umana, li segue con la sua piccola valigia. A volte è accompagnata da un grande uccello di un blu purissimo.
Nel corso del viaggio cambia l'aspetto di questi viaggiatori e anche i colori dominanti delle tavole, che accompagnano la narrazione diventando ora più cupi ora più accesi. Il racconto, all'apparenza molto semplice, diventa emozionante quando si accetta di farsi trasportare dalle variazioni di colori, forme, ritmo, dall'alternanza di vuoti e pieni, quando si cercano i piccoli indizi che rivelano i paricolari di quello che sta succedendo sulla pagina.
Via virtual read aloud with La Motxilla d'Alan Lomax. The depiction of these "Migrants" is deep and moving. There appears to be a character of death traveling with them. Wow. I hope to get to see this one in print very soon because I wasn't sure the meaning of the gray-colored flowers in the trees vs. the pink-colored flowers.
These illustrations! I don't think I have ever been as moved by a wordless book as this one. I kept flipping back and through pages to take in every detail. What a beautifully heavy read that left me with some emotions I am still sitting with and figuring out.
Migrantes conta uma história através de imagens apenas. É, por isso, um livro silencioso em que a coragem e a esperança gritam pela empatia e pelo amor tão necessários à nossa salvação.
Migrantes by Issa Watanabe is a deeply moving picture book originally released in Mexico. This mesmerizing tale is wordless, allowing readers to analyze the elaborate illustrations to determine the author’s message. Issa Watanabe is both the writer and illustrator of this powerful book and does a remarkable job of conveying fear, courage, strength, and empathy through her detailed images.
I came across this title on the USBBY Outstanding International Books List and was immediately drawn to it. The cover features a black background with colorful “animals”, all with grim expressions and carrying knapsacks. Through vivid graphics and incredible symbolism, Watanabe shows the emotional journey of a group of animals as they migrate to an unknown place. Along their way, they allow strange new members to join their pack, share what little they have with one another, protect the group from outside threats, face and overcome dangerous obstacles, endure loss and find hope.
Migrantes is listed to be appropriate for kindergarten - fifth grade, and I believe this to be true. The beauty of this wordless tale is that it can be read and appreciated by anyone, despite their age or language preference. Kindergarteners through second grade will be able to read the visuals as they are, a tale of animal migration. Through teacher guidance, third to fifth graders will gain a better perspective of what so many people around the world experience as they leave their homes and migrate to new, foreign lands in search of safety and a new beginning. The author does a beautiful job of using animals to tell this harrowing story without mentioning any particular race or culture. Whether this book is used with the primary grades or intermediate, it is sure to spark discussion and deep dialog.
In chapter 5 of Children’s Books in Children’s Hands, authors Charles Temple, Miriam Martinez, and Junko Yokota discuss the importance of international texts, and how limited their accessibility is in the United States. I realized firsthand how true that is when I began searching for this book and was unable to find an audio version of it on Youtube and Epic!, or a physical copy at my local and school libraries. I ordered the book on Amazon, and I am so glad I did. I am so excited to not only add it to my personal collection as my first international title but also share it with my students. This tale is well-deserving of the Outstanding International Books Awards that it has received!
Wordless, coming via New Zealand, then Peru, Issa Watanabe offers a poignant story of immigrants using a group of anthropomorphic animals carrying just the clothes on their backs and a few other belongings. Shown, like the cover, in a stark background, they travel over rocky terrain and eventually climb into a boat, traveling in a stormy ocean which eventually falls apart and most manage to make the shore. Apart from the group is another traveler, death, moving with and sometimes flying with a blue ibis. I researched and could find no special meaning of a blue ibis, although in some places, a white ibis for some can mean danger and optimism. Not everyone survives the journey. One thing that struck me is that the array of animals were different, but Watanabe showed different ones caring for differing young ones. That felt important to notice. I also noticed the determined togetherness on every page. It's a powerful book that would be good to share and discuss with upper middle grade and up.
This one took me a couple of times to read through and study this wordless book before I really got what the author/illustrator is trying to accomplish.
Against a dark background, Death is riding on the back of a blue ibis-type bird through the barren forest following a group of animals who are migrating away from here. They reach water and board a longboat, only to have it sink in the water. While some are lost in the water, the survivors reach the far shore, where they mourn their lost loved ones. They continue until they reach a place where the forest is alive, however theirs is life of promise with limited joy.
Wow! The illustrations by Peruvian author/illustrator Watanabe are stunning in their execution. The bright bold colors are electric and pop off the dark pages of this book. The anthropomorphic animals walk upright in clothes, yet have very somber, serious expressions on their faces. Death wears a wrap of bright colors on the black article of clothing. Readers will notice the lack of expression on the faces of all animals as they face Death, who is offering a suitcase left behind by someone. Imagination tells one each is thinking "Not mine!" They trudge on, shoulders stooped for some, with a definite downtrodden appearance. The hazardous crossing over the black water is harrowing, as the longboat rides onto the top of a wave of water. When you turn the page, you are not surprised to see only some of the animals in the water, assuming the rest have gone down with the boat. Once on shore, the animals comfort one another as they look back at the watery grave. They mourn the passing of the rabbit, then continue on their journey. Death stops to comfort and claim the rabbit. Their journey ends when they come to a forest that is living - their journey's end.
A heavy expression of the migrant experience that might be interesting to compare with Shaun Tan's classic The Arrival. While the publisher is marketing this to ages 3-5, I would be recommending it to grades 3-8 to use as a writing prompt for the immigrant experience.
Highly Recommended for a niche audience. It is very dark.
La calidad de las ilustraciones, la manera en que el color, las texturas y las expresiones de los personajes ilustrados expresan tantas emociones y características de los migrantes es increíble. ¡Una excelente obra maestra!
Moeilijk om een rating te geven aan een boek zonder woorden. Het hangt er echt vanaf welke woorden jij er zelf bij verzint. Handig boek om migratie aan kinderen uit te leggen op een speelse en aangename manier.
Powerful, wordless picture book that takes us on the migrants' journey. There is powerful symbolism in the pictures, although much is not immediately clear, or open to interpretation. I am still not sure what is happening when the death-like creature offers various items to the animals, or why the blue ibis is still following them at the end. Regardless, there is much to be gained from this book.
¡Sin palabras! La falta de palabras define al libro, que narra metafóricamente con la ilustración y el color la experiencia que viven las personas migrantes al caminar constantemente hacia un futuro incierto con la compañía de la esperanza y la sombra de la muerte. Sin palabras nos quedamos también si aceptamos la invitación de sumergirnos por un momento en la piel de los protagonistas.
I love subtlety and hidden messages. I love the great artwork of this book specifically. But at the end, I didn't quite get it, and my 6 and 4 year old asked me what was happening, and I told them "I'm not sure". After reading some of the other reviewers, I get it now, and it seems very obvious in hindsight. Not having this history in my history, it was hard for me to really get it. I wish that the... author? Would have done something to help the clueless listen and learn. This book has so much meaning to it, yet the ignorant, as myself in this situation, are left only with confusion. I wanted to learn, I wanted to listen, but I was unable to understand.
I am so grateful for the growing body of children's picture books that help illuminate the plight and crisis of refugees all over the world. While the illustrations are stunning, they are also dark and may be frightening for younger children. I would definitely recommend this book for "older" elementary, especially since the wordless nature of the book means there needs to be some degree of background knowledge and an ability to process what they are seeing and how it relates to the subject.
I didn't like the illustrations. I didn't like the skeleton, or how all the animals stood and dressed like humans. Their eyes were completely empty and hollow looking. It was very spooky. By the end, I felt this was a picture book for adults, not children, and I never like that kind.
Una de las cosas más duras que puede existir en la vida es dejar tu hogar, o el lugar donde creciste, dejar a tu familia, dejarlo todo y partir hacia nuevos rumbos. Todos conocemos a algún familiar o algún amigo que se ha marchado buscando nuevas oportunidades, pero aquellas personas que debido a la guerra, a la persecución y a los conflictos han tenido que huir conocen mucho más lo difícil que esto representa.
Migrantes de Issa Watanabe (publicado por Libros del Zorro Rojo en 2019) es un libro álbum para niños realmente impactante y emotivo. Usando solamente ilustraciones, la autora nos cuenta la angustiante travesía de un grupo de animales quienes tuvieron que dejarlo todo y partir sin mirar atrás. Siempre acompañados de la muerte y de la esperanza, este grupo de animales conformado por niños y adultos se enrumban a través de un bosque oscuro y silencioso en donde se enfrentan a situaciones duras donde solo su compañerismo y su solidaridad los motivarán a seguir adelante.
¿Qué los hizo huir a estos animales? ¿A dónde llegaron? Eso algo que solo podemos intuir y construir con nuestra imaginación conforme vamos avanzando las páginas. Y si bien la historia que nos presenta este libro es realmente fuerte, es a la vez necesaria de reflexionar con los niños (y también entre los mayores). Por eso les quiero compartir las únicas palabras que acompañan al libro y que ilustran la problemática detrás de esta historia: