Picture Books

The lost soul

Olga Tokarczuk

jE Tokarczu
Picture Books

"'Once upon a time there was a man who worked very hard and very quickly, and who had left his soul far behind him long ago. In fact his life was all right without his soul--he slept, ate, worked, drove a car and even played tennis. But sometimes he felt as if the world around him were flat, as if he were moving across a smooth page in a math book that was covered in evenly spaced squares...' The Lost Soul is a deeply moving reflection on our capacity to live in peace with ourselves, to remain patient, attentive to the world. It is a story that beautifully weaves together the voice of the Nobel Prize-winning Polish novelist Olga Tokarczuk and the finely detailed pen-and-ink drawings of illustrator Joanna Concejo, who together create a parallel narrative universe full of secrets, evocative of another time. Here a man has forgotten what makes his heart feel full. He moves to a house away from all that is familiar to him to wait for his soul to return. The Lost Soul is a sublime album, a rare delicacy that will delight readers young and old. 'You must find a place of your own, sit there quietly and wait for your soul.'"--

This is a stunning picture book I found in the Children's collection but this title will very possibly be enjoyed more by adults. The author reminds us that often, when we are hurrying around with our jobs, our families, and all of the countless other things on our to-do lists, our hearts move on from our souls and our souls get lost. In some ways the pandemic forced many of us to examine our priorities and what really matters in life. If there was ever a time to reconnect with our souls, that time is now! The illustrations are pensive and gorgeous and align perfectly with the moral of the story. If you like this, check out Cicada by Shaun Tan. -Victoria