A reading session should preferably be relaxing, but at the same time stimulating enough so that the little one does not lose heart and interest. “Gigabror” hits on both counts, and rightly so. This physically heavy book gives me as an adult a nostalgic feeling of having a smaller body and a book that covers the entire field of vision. Young and old can really get lost in these candy-coloured gigasides. JOY: A half brother can be double the joy. Illustration: Annika Linn Verdal Homme / Aschehoug But it’s not just the nice drawings by Annika Linn Verdal Homme, the book’s illustrator and author, that make “Gigabror” so cute. The sunshine tale about the two brothers, GigaBror and LittleBror, is a realistic and at the same time uplifting portrayal of an experience many children share: half-siblings, with part-time togetherness. Full of energy and good feelings, Little Brother rushes into the hall – stripping off outerwear after outerwear as he rushes to the calendar at the end. He smiles drowsily at the highlighted saint. Finally, it’s “every other weekend”. On the next page, he runs across the living room floor to greet his smiling, tongue-out big brother. “Gigabrother is coming!” “It’s ALWAYS fun!” it is written in a pink speech bubble which is also the pink juice spilled on the floor. ENERGY: The opening scenes ooze with enthusiasm and visual excess. By including several moments of Lillebror (later both Lillebror and Gigabror) in the same background image, Verdal Homme has managed to create a lot of energy and movement in a relatively everyday setup. Illustration: Annika Linn Verdal Homme / Aschehoug Although the brothers have blue skin and blue hair, there is little alien or distant in their behavior and that of others in the book. GigaBror and LittleBror do completely normal things – eat candy, have fits of laughter, go to the playground – and the faces are so expressive that I, as a reader, feel comfortable with them. Little brother’s simple, great joy at being with his brother, who is so kind and patient, applies throughout the book. It is simply to be touched by. For the child who can get lost in a page RETRO: The illustrations make you think of the fluorescent color palette of the late 80s. We can find this again in the internet aesthetic vaporwave created in connection with the subgenre of electronic music of the same name, at the beginning of the 2010s with a peak around 2015. Illustration: Annika Linn Verdal Homme / Aschehoug The illustrations for Verdal Homme have something retro about them. The colors are bright, partly because they have a lot of blue in them. In “Gigabror” there is also a lot of yellow and orange which means that it does not feel like we have ended up on a website. The headache is kept away. The colors, and the The Simpsons-esque cloudy sky (another 90s reference), give an unreal feeling. We are sucked into this slightly different world. CANDY CLASSICS: Especially the double sided crocodile candy is visually appealing. The crocodiles are a classic in the goody bag – anyone who grew up in the 90s and 00s will probably find their mouth watering at this shiny combination of black and orange. Illustration: Annika Linn Verdal Homme / Aschehoug It is another point that the book is also huge. Even as an adult, I can’t take in the whole picture at once. Children are different and some prefer to scroll quickly and follow the action, while others are of the more absorbing type who can sit and enjoy a single page where new details are constantly emerging. I think it is the last type that would appreciate “Gigabror” the most. GIGA: The book about giga brother is gigastor. Photo: news The action nevertheless has speed and drama – and speaks to the inner energy that children’s enthusiasm often reminds of. It is especially this ability to be both fast and calm, pleasantly stimulating, that impresses me with Verdal Homme’s children’s book debut. How to deal with discomfort The book’s breakup and only sad moment takes place on the playground. Giga brother is stuck in the slide, there is a queue and another child says: “Get your half brother out!!!” The word is in jagged, red text. “Half-brother?” Little brother collapses. Half-brother – he thinks with horror of his brother as split in two. Across? Lengthwise? Children tend to have this categorical understanding of the world, in the beginning. If it’s dark outside, it’s night. Red light means stop. Half-brother doesn’t make sense – he’s GIGA. LUCK: Life will be fun with a giga half-brother! Illustration: Annika Linn Verdal Homme / Aschehoug Later, when the brothers are lying in the grass, Little Brother asks what they meant by “half-brother”. Gigabror reassures: “HALF because we are together half of the weekends. And BROTHER because we are brothers all the time!” Little brother perks up. I like how the child’s confusing and sometimes discouraging encounter with society (other people’s thoughts and attitudes) does not only breed negative feelings. That Gigabror’s simple explanation, which is not scientifically oriented, is allowed to stand as true. Here the book shows that discomfort can arise and puncture the happy bubble, but that it does not have to lead to chaos and great sadness. And when Big Brother leaves at the end of the weekend, Little Brother doesn’t go to the basement. There is a sense of security here – a trust in the routine, trust in the brotherhood. ELSE: The book shows that it is okay for brothers not to live together all the time. Illustration: Annika Linn Verdal Homme / Aschehoug In the child’s literal understanding, the world is easier to relate to, and perhaps we should listen to it more. Perhaps it is that the most important thing is simple. We are brothers, done with. The basic feeling in “Gigabror” is security – and enthusiasm. A candy of an illustration book that persuades with its warmth and energy, and that shows us that difficult feelings can arise and disappear just as quickly, especially in the company of a brother. SAFE: The book shows how safe and uncomplicated life with a half-brother can be. Illustration: Annika Linn Verdal Homme / Aschehoug news reviewer Photo: Aschehoug Title: “Gigabror” Author: Annika Linn Verdal Homme Genre: Picture book for children 3 – 6 years Number of pages: 48 Publisher: Aschehoug Published: 4 March 2024 Published 18.07.2024 , at 06.20
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“Gigabror” by Annika Linn Verdal Homme – news Culture and entertainment
