WHAT MAKES US HUMAN

Published in partnership with UNESCO, in honor of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, linguist Santos’ latest considers the relationship between language and culture.

“I have been around for a very long time. Longer than toys, dogs, or anyone you know.” Presented as a long-form riddle, this tale is narrated by language itself, though that’s not revealed until the end. The illustrations accompanying the lyrical text are striking in their texture and detail. On a spread featuring a tan-skinned person and a dog in an elevator, the text reads, “I am sure you saw me today. / Or heard me. Or felt me.” Readers who look closely will notice the person holding a white mobility cane and the raised dots of braille on the elevator buttons—it’s clear that language is far more than spoken words or visual text. The story’s main purpose, however, is to raise awareness about disappearing languages, because “When one of me disappears, a culture may also disappear.” Indigenous people are depicted throughout the narrative, but they aren’t identified in the text (though a few written examples of their languages are included), which undercuts the message about preserving culture. The backmatter (which notes that about half the world’s living languages will become extinct by 2100) offers more context, but the narrative’s focus on general humanity keeps the book from accomplishing its stated goal of exploring the significance of protecting Indigenous people and their languages.

Artful and attractive but somewhat muddled in its messaging.