Wild Eyes
Do you ever feel like you’re being watched? In Wild Eyes, our protagonist is deep in the depths of a hedge watching as a little girl helps the garden around her. During the book we follow as she contributes to the lives of the wildlife in the garden through actions like preventing hedges being cut down and building a nest.
Colour is used in a really interesting way in this picturebook. The book starts in black and white with spots of colour, traditionally we tend to be used to colourful images and contrasting dark text. Whereas here the images are largely black and white and the text, when featuring ‘the watcher’s’ dialogue mostly appears in earth tones. It’s an interesting distinction, though it could be confusing, or challenging to read if a reader is expecting one tone of colour for text, or for readers who struggle with the levels of contrast.
As the book progresses and the little girl helps the creatures in the garden more and more colour is introduced to the illustrations, which is a storytelling technique that can make this book engaging for readers of all ages. The sound words peppered throughout the story also provide an engaging soundtrack. Taking moments to explore these sounds enhances the reading experience.
A book that is filled with animals and scenarios that may be familiar to many children, this is a relatable story as readers may be able to spot some of the animals featured in their gardens or local parks.
