Bouh!
By: Francois Soutif
Publisher: Coccole books Italia, 2019 (Original version Kaléidoscope, France, 2012)
Format: Board book
Prepare for a laugh!
Due to their artistic qualities and interactive nature, silent books have a way of evoking feelings in the reader. Some makes you cry, some makes you smile - and some, like Bouh! will make you laugh out loud!
Francois Soutif is a very talented French illustrator. In this book, he shows his artistic talent not through his illustrations, but also by the way he uses the whole book as an object, so that the format of the book is a vital part of the story. The story revolves around the gutter - the center-fold - of the book. This is not an uncommon storytelling technique in silent books: Suzy Lee does it beautifully in both "Wave", "Mirror" and "Shadow", Kjell Ringi in "The Winner", just to mention a couple*. But Soutif´s fast-paced action and humorous illustrations makes it feel brand new and very original.
"Bouh!" is a play on the fairy tale about the three little pigs. The big, bad wolf chases the pigs, ready for dinner - but alas! He can´t pass the gutter! The pigs reaction when they discover this is priceless. But the wolf might be more clever than they think, and maybe they feel a little bit too safe...
Like all intertexual references, this acts as a bonus and adds depth to the reading, but luckily, it is not necessary to know the original fairytale in order to enjoy the book. The thrill of the chase, the bright colors and the amazing expressions of the characters makes this a fun read for readers of all backgrounds and ages.
Bouh! is a board book, which might mislead readers to think it is a book for very young children only. It will, however, be enjoyed by readers of all ages. The book is part of a triology, and we will review the other two with time, so stay tuned!
