Jemmy Button by Valerio Vidali
This book is slightly different to most in that it follows a true story that even involved Charles Darwin. That name should give you an idea of when this story is set, as colonials, missionaries and explorers of the Victorian era went around ‘discovering’ the unknown world.
The story is about a native boy brought from his home over to the ‘civilised’ world where he was gentrified, given posh clothes and even met royalty. Darwin later accompanied the boy on his return journey home to see how he would readapt to his old native environment.
The illustrations cleverly take a slightly abstract approach and add to the sense of bizzare as the story unfolds.
Fortunately there’s a page at the end which details the facts of the true story and it really is remarkable.
Overall, a highly unusual but great book!
