Jury report of the Key Colours Competition 2022
Hasselt, October 8th, 2022
The Key Colours competition has taken place in Hasselt for the fourteenth time. Key Colours has clearly become widely known as one of the important competitions that grant access to the international world of children’s books illustrators. This year’s edition has been a very good one with 456 entries from 69 different countries. With a certain pride we present you the shortlist with the best entries, including the winner of the competition.
Key Colours is a manuscript competition for authors and illustrators of picture books. The entries consist of a story for 3 to 7 year old children, the complete sketches and three finished illustrations in a technique and style of the illustrator’s choice. The selection is made by a professional jury on the basis of the quality of the pictures and the suitability for children of the stories.
These are the ten shortlisted works of 2022:
All the Ice Cream in the World - by Masoud Gharihbaghi from Iran
A little polar bear awakes from his hibernation to find that his house of ice has melted away from the polar bears’ world where he belongs. On his ice floe, the polar bear drifts towards the big city, where no one notices him at first, until a little girl shares her ice cream with him. The children stick up for him. Together, they mount an operation to collect all the ice of the world on which the bear can sail back home.
A sweet and environmentally conscious story, brought into vision simply and beautifully with the right tone and surprising compositions and choice of images here and there. A beautiful picture book without complexes.
Il ne faut pas jouer avec les crocodiles! - by Marina Rouzé from France
Rabbit is playing together with Cat and Parrot. When Crocodile wants to join in, he is bluntly refused by Rabbit with the vicious words: ‘Crocodiles aren’t worth a thing.’ Of course Crocodile does not agree, but he avoids further confrontation. This is the conduct you can observe when pre-school children play and condemn a new child ruthlessly, but still end up playing all together. It is the way young children treat each other; their social skills still have to be developed. This book is a contribution to that issue.
The animals are portrayed straightforwardly in basic colours, in adequate poses and proportions. They are no longer animals, so to speak, but become young children playing together. The choice of images and the used technique make sure the perfect balance is achieved.
Round and Square - by Patricia Alejandra Fitti from Argentina
At Mister Round’s place, everything is round, whereas Mister Square sees things squarely. They are neighbours and see the world continually from their own perspective, which is entirely right for themselves, but very different from the other. The illustrator has resolutely put the houses on the left and the right side as fixed elements, and the events take place on the half pages in between the houses. What is ‘first’ for one of them, is ‘last’ for the other, and what one considers ‘black’, the other sees as ‘white’. And from their own perspective they are both right. They are so different but at the same time so similar.
A very original concept and a nice story with a deeper meaning, portrayed in bright colours and with a fresh, contemporary design.
My Little Story - by Fariba Pishgar from Iran
As the title predicts, this is a little and also a sweet story. The girl in this picture book is shown as small in many ways, when she plays with friends or does something for school. She is small in the same way we all are, basically: small in the big world that surrounds us. But being small is not being unimportant. We contribute by being who we are.
The illustrator has chosen to make little, subtle illustrations that emphasize the smallness. In a deliberately sketchy kind of way, they leave white spaces on the page, a white that symbolizes the big world outside. A nice and clear message, appreciated by the jury.
Molly Loves Paper Aeroplanes - by Francesca Chessa from Italy
Molly loves paper airplanes. They fly ‘over’ and ‘under’ and ‘in front of’ and ‘behind’. So at first, you think this is a story about prepositions of place. Until the little plane falls in a puddle and turns out not to be water-resistant. Luckily, a boy that loves paper boats enters the scene. Thus, this becomes a story about friendship, about the acceptance of loss and about going on, even when the circumstances have changed.
Children’s books are often simple stories with an important, deeper meaning. In their simplicity, the almost sketchy illustrations only show the essence: children and the necessary objects telling their story. Minimalist and efficient.
Flying Circus - by Patrizia Levi and Laura Barella from Italy
This story is very different from the previous story. Here, a dream is presented to the reader. One day, an invitation for the approaching circus descends upon a simple village, a sleepy community. The circus is presented by birds. Every villager looks forward to it. Finally, the magic show begins, starring fishes and birds. And as sudden as the circus has come, it leaves the village, carried by a flock of birds.
The images support the magic in this picture book, with subtle choices of darkness and light. Surreal pictures, all deserving a place in a museum, tell a dream which is so vivid it seems you have really experienced it. The pictures are simply gorgeous.
The Eye of the Giant - by Patrizia Levi and Laura Barella from Italy
A magic fairy tale, in which the earth is a sleeping giant who has promised in a bet to sleep eternally in order to save the world. The lake on which the children sail and in which they throw stones, is the eye of the giant called Bethel. It is an eye full of tears.
This pictures book has also been composed with magic, surreal images. The deeper meaning of the story might elude young children. The giant represents the ongoing struggle between good and evil.
The pictures are powerful, both in their visual language and their colours. They hold a great attraction and are at the same time cool and detached. Magical.
My Memory Thread - by Airien Ludin from Indonesia
Daddy, Mummy and their sweet daughter lead a harmonious life together. Mummy starts making a cuddly bunny for her daughter. When the bunny is almost ready, Mummy falls ill and dies. This picture book shows the anger, the sorrow and the consternation in a very touching, strongly emotional way. Everything has changed, but still life goes on. Daddy will finish the bunny.
All the images are finished and together they show all aspects of mourning, very well-considered and in the right technique and colours. The pictures are very realistic, but at the same time, they allow for the reader’s own interpretation. Very well done.
Suzie Blush - by Sue Rinaldi from the United Kingdom
Whenever Suzie is the centre of attention, she has to blush. Her friends tease her about this, until she’s barely able to play with others anymore. The blushing is like a big red monster that shows up when least expected and least wanted. The illustrator literally depicts the blushing like this: as a monster. Mummy advises her daughter to send away the monster and count on her friends, who will certainly support her. Which is exactly what Suzie does.
This story is very recognizable, although it still needs a bit of work, since it’s actually not Suzie’s blushing that has to be solved, but her lack of self-confidence. The whole is brought into vision strongly and attractively, with children in very natural surroundings, enhanced by the real find of the blush monster.
The Last Pomegranate - by Fatemeh Nakhaie from Iran
A fairy tale from Persia. In order to celebrate Yalda, the longest night of the year, a lot of food is required, especially pomegranates, which form the essence of the Yalda night. In this story, the last pomegranate is brought home through snow and ice. In a storm, numerous animals all take a bite from the pomegranate, until nothing remains. It will be a Yalda celebration without pomegranates this year …
Although it’s a pity that the story ends badly, the images are incredibly poetic. The water colours evoke the splendour of nature and take us along over snow and ice, at the same time cold and warm. Very beautiful.