WILD PEACE

A meditative exploration of the peace that exists in the communion between humans and nature.

A small, pale-skinned, black-haired child wearing a bright orange-and-red dress shares an almost colorless playroom with three other children, all colorless. The text describes this place as filled with “noise and fury,” and when a red butterfly flits through the open window, the protagonist follows the butterfly through a multihued crayon mural taped to the wall to the other side, into a wild forest. Suddenly, an abundance of colors in soothing shades fills the full-page spreads, depicting the flora and fauna of this (perhaps) imaginary forest in playful and delicate scenes. Clearly, nature is where the child finds peace, and the two are essentially equated. The poetic text, featuring one or two approximately rhyming lines on each page, presents a string of metaphors for peace such as, “Peace gathers as many nuts as it can carry / and feasts on a perfect berry.” Almost a dozen such personifications extolling the wonders and beauty of nature conclude at dusk and bring the protagonist home. While the poetic form is awkward in places and the metaphors sometimes feel stretched, the feelings of escape and tranquility in nature shine through. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

This journey through nature may not be perfect, but it’s worth taking.