The Book From Far Away
Bruce Handy and Julie Benbassat
Minerva: Astra Books for Young Readers


This tale unfolds over 48 pages, which is longer that the average picturebook. It’s an intriguing, wordless story that begins with a little boy wandering in the woods, having spent some time sitting in a tree reading a book he removes from his backpack. Ahead of him, he spies a spaceship landing in a nearby clearing. Out come four otherworldly beings, two seeming adults, a youngster plus a pet.

There follow several spreads showing the extraterrestrials playing and picnicing together,

after which they return to their spacecraft and take off. The human child emerges from behind the tree where he’s been watching them and finds on the ground a large round, elaborately decorated golden disc that appears to have several transparent overlays – pages possibly.


Suddenly up behind the boy comes the young extraterrestrial, who has seemingly been left behind. The two communicate wordlessly; the Earth child hands the golden disc to the owner and taking his own book from his backpack, gives it to the visitor. Then back comes a spacecraft, the two hug each other farewell, the space child enters the spacecraft and it flies off.


At home later, the Earth child shares with his parents, images of the day’s happenings. Meanwhile, somewhere else in the universe, the outer-space child and family share the Earth book,

and on the final page, the cat makes an astonishing discovery in the backpack. What might this lead to, one wonders.


A confirmation that books have a universal appeal, and that children are able to understand one another no matter from where they come. Young (and not so young) readers will relish poring over the amazing details in this brilliantly imagined sci-fi tale: who needs words when the mesmerising visuals herein speak volumes?