WINNER
Comment naissent les arbres (How Trees Are Born)
La Martinière Jeunesse
France
Text and Art by Charles Berbérian
What the jury said:
The narrative of this age-transcending book interweaves contrasts like young and old, natural and human, darkness and light, and life and death, in black and white imagery lit up with flashes of colour. Created with meticulous care, the images may appear simple and natural, but they reflect the story’s focus on nature’s continuous evolution, the flow of life and time, identity, and the bond between humans and the planet. Readers are invited to consider the significance of appearances through dialogue between a mother and a son, exploring a forest and planting a tree. Excelling in a sense of wholeness and with flawlessly harmonious text and illustrations, this book on the cycle of life is further enhanced by comic book-inspired elements that evoke the vibrant realm of illustrated books.