A Long Way Away - book review for you

             This is a two way story written and illustrated by the innovative author Frank Viva.  

Soar above the universe and plunge down into the deepest ocean blue in this vertical tale of travel that you read starting from the beginning or from the end.  This truly unique book consists of twenty-six feet of vertical art that was designed using Adobe illustrator.  You can read two different ways which is fascinating.  If you read from the first page you can explore a journey into space.  If you read starting from the back, you are plunged into an incredible underwater journey.  The text is illustrated very well with matching vocabulary suspended along the route that enrich the pictures immensely.  The illustrations are bold with a limited pallet of blue, red, yellow, black and white.  

The top page has an alien sliding down a yellow pathway,  through the earth's atmosphere, past a variety of marine life and into the very depths of the ocean.  The final page reads, "Deep asleep," as the little alien falls asleep on a submerged cliff.  The trip home shows his ascent back up through the ocean and finally into his familiar territory, space where he is reunited with his family: "A home/A hug." 

I am positive you will love the style and creativity of this book.  I am always amazed at the brilliance and innovation of authors.  Check it out today.

About the author:

Frank Viva FRANK VIVA runs a branding and design agency in Toronto. He is a cover artist for The New Yorker, sits on two college advisory boards, and is past president of the Advertising & Design Club of Canada. His first picture book, Along a Long Road, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award and named one of The New York Times’ 10 Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2011, School Library Journal’s Best Books of 2011 and Toronto Public Library’s First & Best for 2011.

Yea...a fellow Canadian, Ontarioite, and neighbour.  Go Frank!  I love when someone steps out of the box and shakes up some traditions.  His other books are:  "Along A Long Road", and "A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse."

Read on and read always!

Book review rating:    9  (close to perfection)