At the Pond

Written and illustrated by Geraldo Valério

Groundwood Books

978-1-77306-232-7

48 pp.

Ages 3-7

March 2020

A visit to a pond teaches a young boy a lesson in securing friendship without subjucation in this new wordless picture book from Geraldo Valério.

From At the Pond by Geraldo Valério

In a grey forest of grabbing branches of trees, a dog is tied up outside a house. When a boy emerges to take the forlorn dog for a walk on its yellow leash, they are drawn to a brilliant blue pond rife with swans. When one of the swans approaches and takes the boy and his dog for a ride on its back, they float through spectacular landscapes of pink roseate spoonbills, frolicking rabbits and foxes, meadows of foxglove and a plethora of brightly coloured flowers.

From At the Pond by Geraldo Valério

But when the boy finally releases the dog to chase dragonflies, the boy chooses to place the leash on the swan. With that, Geraldo Valério's illustration turns dark once again, with only the blue of the panicked swans as they retreat. Thankfully the boy sees the hurt in the tearful swan's eyes and releases his new friend, returning the world to one of colour, joy and compassion.

From At the Pond by Geraldo Valério

As a wordless picture book, At the Pond teems with emotion, primarily through artist Geraldo Valério's use of colour, though also with line and shape. In his complex illustrations. created with pencil, acrylics, latex, markers and even gouache, Geraldo Valério explores what it means to be a friend. From that poor chained dog, almost insignificant in a bleak world of darkness, to the unconstrained life of the pond and its environs, Geraldo Valério makes it clear that friendship is not conditional upon control, though some might envision it to be so, and this boy certainly does at the outset of the story. Friendship is about allowing a dog or a swan to be free to be themselves and share in the wonder of that freedom. It is only with the banishment of the enforced bonds that a relationship of closeness and compassion can be realized. 

From At the Pond by Geraldo Valério

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For a treat, publisher Groundwood Books (House of Anansi Press) has shared a video online at https://youtu.be/kZSv-KILJlg of author-illustrator Geraldo Valério bringing life, through pencil, to a pair of swans from At the Pond.

Drawing with author and illustrator Geraldo Valério

Uploaded by House of Anansi to YouTube on May 1, 2020