Foreign rights are central to the business of publishing, and picture books by the French illustrator, Barroux – Where’s the Elephant? and Where’s the Starfish? – have been particularly successful in attracting publishers from all over the world. The universally recognisable themes of conservation and care for the environment are relevant to children anywhere.
Welcome, a stunning picture book about polar bears looking for somewhere safe to live, is about the plight of refugees, set against the backdrop of global warming – another story with widespread relevance.
Bijal Vachhrajani, a journalist with the Chennai-based newspaper, The Hindu, has reviewed Welcome in terms which highlight the universality of the book’s impact.
‘The story throws up questions about belonging and differences. And of course, our collective empathy, something that seems to be eroding away, being washed away by rising sea levels and melting away in this ferocious heat.’
You can read the review in its entirety here.
Welcome, Where’s the Elephant? and Where’s the Starfish? are published in the UK by Egmont.
