The Gray City by Torben Kuhlmann (Author), David Henry Wilson (Translator)
A Review by Christina Barber
When Robin moves with her father to a new city, she quickly discovers how dull and lacklustre her new home is. The buildings are grey, the clothing is grey, even people’s moods and attitudes are grey. At school, Robin is punished for her overly ebullient drawings, her colourful scene standing out for all the wrong reasons against the wall of grey drawings made by her new peers; at least that’s what her teacher thinks. In detention, she meets a boy named Alani, who also has a penchant for colour, who would prefer to sit alone in the school auditorium watching state-sponsored propaganda films than conform to the ubiquitous uniform: grey upon shades of grey. Together, they will embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the city’s grey repression and to free its people from their quotidian, monochrome monotony.
Torben Kuhlmann’s artistry and knack for vibrant illustrations paired with his fantastical storytelling are once again on display in The Gray City. Author of Einstein: The Fantastic Journey of a Mouse Through Space and Time, Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse, and Moletown, Kuhlmann brings scientific ideas and history to life through whimsical characters and adventures. In Einstein, it was the theory of relativity made relatable to young readers, and in Moletown, it was ecology and the environment that took centre stage; now, in The Gray City, Kuhlmann delights readers with colour and light theory, helping children understand how light is made up of colours, and that the colour grey isn’t as dull as it first appears.
As usual, Kuhlmann hides a little something else in his stories, something human and social, encouraging connection and curiosity. In the grey world of Robin and Alani, people have lost their will to learn, they have stopped asking questions and have stopped wanting to know how things work and why they are the way they are. Satisfied with the status quo, day in and day out, be it in their clothing, their actions, their surroundings or their thoughts. On one of her journeys, Robin discovers a library, hidden in plain sight, where she is encouraged to read and explore. The girl’s small acts of quiet protest, like her ever-present bright yellow raincoat, are an inspiration to children and adults who would follow their own path and dare to ask all kinds of questions. Kuhlmann’s latest book is also one of acceptance and inclusion, where the characters who are least like everyone else show the world that they have their beauty and personality and that there is room for everyone to be who they are.
About the Author
Torben Kuhlmann lives and works in Hamburg as a freelance children’s author and illustrator. He studied illustration and communications design at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences. He wrote and illustrated his first picture book, Lindbergh: the Tale of a Flying Mouse, in 2012 as his final thesis, and it was published in 2014 by NordSüd Verlag. It quickly became a bestseller and has been translated into more than 30 languages. Three more mouse adventures followed and were equally successful. In 2024, the tenth anniversary was celebrated by the publication of Earhart, the fifth book in the series. However, a few mouse-free books have also crept into the repertoire during the last ten years, including Moletown, The Clown Said No, and The Gray City.
About the Reviewer
Christina Barber is a writer, dramaturge, artist, and educator based in Vancouver. Her poetry has appeared in The Whimsical Poet and contributed to the Vancouver City Poems Project.
Book Details
Publisher : NorthSouth Books (Sept. 17 2024)
Language : English
Hardcover : 64 pages
ISBN-10 : 0735845549
ISBN-13 : 978-0735845541