I remember as a kid not wanting to get up and go to school. It was a chore and all I had to do was get up, eat a prepared breakfast, and get dressed. The sun (and my mom) was already up for at least an hour or two. I had to wait for the bus to drive oh five-ten minutes down the road. When they switched the route when I was older, it took 15-20 minutes. The only real struggle was rainy days or the winter with a few frozen boogies. Still, my grandfather or mom would stand by the road and wait for us, as my sister and I huddled on the porch or waiting at the window, warm inside. I had it easy compared to the children of this story.
What if I had to walk 9 Kilometers, every day, both ways (And those who know, no not uphill both ways, but it might as well be) to school? Claudio Aguilera created a story about one narrator and the task it is to get to their classroom. Getting up when it is still dark, walking in all weather, the creatures, and people you see along the way and much more. The mountains and the rain forest of Chile is shown by the illustrations of Gabriela Lyon. And the 15,000 steps taken will amaze those of us who really do not realize the struggle of many children around the world, and not just Chile.
The poetic, informative and rich text supports and is supported by the lush illustrations. The art might not be “photographic imagery” but the reality of them, the deep colors, and details are vividly done. While both text and artwork well, and are strong, I was leaning towards the artwork as my personal favorite part of the book.
Translated by Lawrence Schimel, I read via Edelweiss, this book is due late February/early March 2023.