Válka

The book "The War" depicts an ugly divorce seen through the eyes of a sensitive child. War is cruel for all who experience it up close.

Ida knows war from the pictures in the newspapers, she knows the sounds of gunshots and bombs falling from the television. Fortunately, Ida lives in a country where there is no war, where even wasps are not dangerous. But when the war comes closer, when Dad and Mum start fighting, Ida's world turns into a battlefield with a whole new set of rules. The war is messy, tedious, and creepily consuming everything around it. Norwegian writer Gro Dahle takes children seriously and has the ability to see the world from their perspective. Her poetic language contrasts with Kaii Dahle Nyhus' naive yet unsparing illustrations. Can war be banished from the body it has taken up residence in? And can all those affected by war feel good again?

As readers, we are drawn more and more into the heroine's feelings about the war; until our stomachs ache for her. The language is almost lyrical - there is a strong use of metaphors related to war: refugees, spies, soldiers, barbed wire, burnt out cities, etc. The illustrations are very engaging and telling, leaving the reader in no doubt as to how Ida experiences the war between her parents. The text and illustrations complement each other very well.

The book is labeled as a picture book, but the language is not child-friendly, as it usually is in such books. The book appeals to older children and reading it requires commentary in places. Both in relation to the subject matter, but also because of how raw the heroine's feelings are described. In fact, the book could be an eye-opener for some parents, as its message is clear: talk to each other, don't just concern yourselves with yourselves and think of the children.

The writer is a well-known Norwegian picture book author. Her books are about children's not-so-positive emotions and how to deal with them. The illustrations were created by the writer's daughter.