Shelf Awareness--Afterward, Everything Was Different

PB Review: Afterward, Everything Was Different

Afterward, Everything Was Different: A Tale from the Pleistocene by Jairo Buitrago, illus. by Rafael Yockteng, transl. by Elisa Amado (Greystone Kids, 64p., ages 4-9, 9781778400605)

Author Jairo Buitrago, illustrator Rafael Yockteng, and translator Elisa Amado (Lion and Mouse; Drawing Outdoors) collaborate once again with the mostly wordless, deeply inspiring Afterward, Everything Was Different, in which detailed illustrations imagine how a transformative moment in history might have unfolded.

According to Buitrago and Yockteng, the Pleistocene era, which occurred "somewhere between two and a half million and ten thousand years ago," was a time when people roamed the earth, living closely with animals, hunting with spears and clubs, wearing furs or nothing at all, and "slowly becoming more like the people we are today." One observant girl is featured--she helps keep her small clan safe from predators, leads the group over treacherous paths, and takes moments to look at the stars. She also watches and learns. On a fateful day when the others leave the cave, this girl stays behind. She grabs a stick of burnt wood and transforms the wall of the cave into a story--the story of the clan--which she then performs orally. And, of course, "afterward, everything was different."

Yockteng magnificently illustrates Afterward, Everything Was Different in graphite and ink drawings. Sweeping panoramas give a sense of the immensity of the wide-open space, as well as huge beasts that dwell there. Two expressive notes at book's end, translated from the Spanish by Amado, describe the history and inspiration behind this book, and put it neatly into context. This is a moving tribute to the power of art through the ages. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.