Just for the record, I was going to check how many books Anna Fiske has published. It must be over twenty, I thought. Huh! Bump a bit there, yes. Scroll, scroll, scroll: She has written and illustrated a total of 65 titles herself. It will be quite necessary to be impressed by it? But it is of course not just the quantity that is impressive about Fiske’s collective intellectual work. It certainly hasn’t reduced the quality either. Loaded with meaning “Shame” is Anna Fiske’s eighth book in the “Emotional Library”. The books are primarily made with children and young people in need of special adaptation in mind, but in practice probably have a much wider scope. FEELINGS: Shame is the eighth book in the “Emotions Library”. Anna Fiske has previously published “Sjenanse”, “Anger”, “Redd”, “Happiness”, “Love”, “Sorrow” and “Jealousy”. Photo: Solum book friend They follow the same recipe: Define the feeling, describe the feeling in general and through examples, and give some supportive and empowering words to make the readers feel that they are not alone. The words are few and well chosen. Each sentence is loaded with meaning and should ideally convey far more than what is written. But it’s in the drawings that the real magic lies, if you ask me. A strange and fine pair of binoculars Fiske’s characteristic and funny streak is just as important here as in previous books. Funny scenarios, caricatures, facial expressions and colors make us as readers play and smile through the subject matter. We look at the shame through a weird and wonderful little telescope, and that makes it so much easier. And then this dripping darkness and tenacity, which throughout the book illustrates the disgusting and enveloping shame. It’s so “spot-on”. I love it. Illustration: Anna Fiske You are wrong I like that Fiske tries to nuance the feeling of shame. That even if shame is generally perceived as negative, it can also have something useful about it: But the wording still makes me puzzled, that it is served as a firm truth that shame is good in some cases. I’m not sure if I agree with her here. Are there not other, healthier and less destructive feelings that can motivate one to do the right thing, which one should rather point the children in the direction of? Like reflection, self-examination without self-condemnation, empathy. Shame points to who you are, you are wrong, while it almost always involves an action. I took your stick from you, it was a stupid thing to do, a stupid thing to do, I’ll try not to do it again. (But I wonder if I can do it then, you always find such nice sticks, and I love sticks and the attention I get when you chase me to get it back.) But I’m not a sneaky and ugly stick thief. A superpower of its own All in all, I still think Fiske + “Shame” = a lovely and useful little children’s book. Conveying a lot through a little is, in a way, its own superpower. But it clearly requires an alert adult to be able to embroider a conversation around these simple and boiled down little nuggets of wisdom. The book fits in nicely with the other books in the emotion library. And here I just have to chime in: I think the combination of feeling and library is brilliant. Splicing something invisible and not tangible, but extremely relevant and close, together with something a little dry and systematic, gives such a delicious weight. When you feel something confusing, you can just say: Wait a minute, I’ll just look something up in the library of feelings. And not just children, by the way! I think these books can act as a fun and warm literary psychologist for anyone struggling to navigate their inner emotional map. A friend who follows you For me, there is no doubt that Fiske is in a league of its own. I can’t think of anyone other than Iben Sandemose who is such a complete package, who has created a visual and textual universe with so much depth and charm. Anna Fiske becomes, in a way, a friend you eventually get to know well, and who follows you through your childhood. You just have to cheer for that! news reviews Photo: Solum Bokvennen Title: “Shame” Author and illustrator: Anna Fiske Genre: Children’s book Publisher: Solum Bokvennen Number of pages: 24 Date: Autumn 2022 More books by Anna Fiske reviewed:
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“Shame” by Anna Fiske – Reviews and recommendations
