The Ferris Wheel

The fates of two children—a boy on an outing and a girl escaping from conflict—are contrasted in this taut parallel telling by Turkish author Kozikog˘lu and Bulgarian illustrator Sönmezay. In an early spread, a boy snuggled with a stuffed animal on the verso is woken by his Mama: “Say goodbye to Teddy. He will be here when you get home.” On the recto, a departing girl woken by her father reaches for a fishbowl: “Say goodbye to Fish,” Papa says. “He will be with you in your heart.” As the bright orange fish floats in the air behind the girl, paired frames continue. Mama warns about cars in the street: “Watch out.” On the facing page, in a city that bears signs of warfare, Papa offers the same warning about an approaching tank. The four, portrayed in painterly art with pale skin and dark hair, end up at a fair together, waiting to ride an orange Ferris wheel. When they board it, it “turns... around and around, trading places until everyone understands they are all riding the same Ferris wheel.” An author’s note provides context for this thoughtful title about “the dreams we share, and our universal right to seek safety.” Ages 4–7. (Dec.)