The Land of Faraway - by Beth Kephart (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Illustrated by the renowned Russian-born artist Olga Dugina, this fantastical picture book presents a world of flying lions and lavish parties, mythical creatures and beautiful schemes. As the pages turn, the text invites the reader in with a series of What if? questions that are both seemingly absurd and ultimately profound: What if you could fly? What if you were banging the cymbals in a ruckus parade? What if you fell asleep in the crooked arm of a tree and awoke to a scene like a dream? What if you could wish any wish at all? What if you could live your story again? National Book Award Finalist Beth Kephart's text draws attention to the rich, symbolic journey--and possibilities--suggested by Dugina's art. A book that begs to be read again and again, by both adults and children.

Review Quotes

This fantastical picture book invites the reader to delight in the journey as it poses questions both fanciful and profound. "Would you wish to be young?" and "To whom would you sing your best traveling song?" are just two of the questions presented, the text scattered among intricate illustrations of eagles in sleeping caps, a gown adorned with frogs, and a cherub riding a lion through the sky. One read is not enough for this fabulistic tale, which closes with an invitation to begin again.

In a world filled with magic, possibilities abound. Whether anthropomorphic animals are interacting with humans, kings and queens are having a party, or mythical creatures are flying through the air, whimsy and intrigue make all things possible. And as one travels through this mystical landscape, resonant questions rise to the surface, inspiring inquiry into both the known world and the world that could be. This poetic picture book is filled with curiosity both on the part of the narrator and on that of the reader. Limited text utilizes rhyming and a practiced meter to invite readers to consider a wide range of hypothetical questions. From the more realistic to the highly speculative, these questions are ones that readers of all ages will appreciate having the opportunity to wonder about. Despite the fact that these phrases are relatively brief, however, the profound nature of the questioning makes the book mature beyond its initial appearance and therefore approachable for a wide range of ages. The whimsical and imaginative illustrations beg thoughtful reflection on each page. Using realistic techniques to depict humans and animals, the images turn the predictable into the unexpected in myriad ways. Sometimes, the illustrations reflect the poetry within the text, while in other instances elements of the imagery are devoid of textual context and readers are invited to develop stories of their own as a result. With a first person narrator, a poetic design, and exquisitely detailed illustrations, this book is a contemporary homage to classic picture books and is appealing to both children and their caregivers. This is a unique and thought provoking addition to library collections for young readers and their families.

This is classic Creative Editions, complete with drop dead gorgeous illustrations. In fact, this book actually began with its illustrations. Olga, the illustrator, was a big fan of Italian fairy tales as a child. She grew up in a house with several volumes of them, and so it shouldn't be surprising that she created this wildly romantic book inspired by that look and feel. In a slightly backwards way, Beth then wrote an English text for it. She turned it into a kind of dream-your-own-fairytale by asking a series of questions inspired by the art itself. How could you use this? Well, it could be ideal for a writing group because it's so dreamy and lush. Still, I think of it more as a writing prompt picture book, much like The Mysteries of Harris Burdick! A full imagination at work.

With museum quality illustrations by Russian-born artist Olga Dugina, this large format (9.10(w) x 12.40(h) x 0.00(d), 1.07 pounds) hardcover picture book story by Beth Kephart and published by Creative Editions is uniquely original, impressively creative, memorable, entertaining, and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, and community library picture book collection for children ages 7-9.