Jemmy Button - Tapa dura

Write up and mentioned as part of the panel selection discussing the best new books for January 2013. "a beautifully captured, compelling read". * The Bookseller * Jennifer Uman and Valerio Vidali have adoringly illustrated this real-life 'My Fair Lady' tale. The two illustrators met online with a shared appreciation of each other's work - but with Jennifer only speaking English and Valerio only speaking Italian their friendship was formed using online translators to talk about their ideas. They finally met when they had the idea to illustrate this story together and it is such a beautiful partnership - one of those books where every page could be framed. * babyccinokids.com/ *

Inspired by the life of Jemmy Button - a native of Tierra del Fuego who was brought into England in the mid-1800s to be 'educated' and 'civilised' by British missionaries and explorers - this book illustrates Jemmy's adventures in England, his bizarre and extraordinary encounters there, his experience as an outsider in a new land and culture, and his return back home. This book focuses on the theme of distance and homesickness. With Valerio's precision, and Jennifer's primitive style, such collaboration has resulted in a story unlike any other.