What Inspires

Written by Alison Hughes

Illustrated by Ellen Rooney

Orca Book Publishers

978-1-459837683

32 pp.

Ages 6-8

September 2024

 

Though there is a neurological explanation for the stimulation of creativity, the derivation of the word "inspiration" suggests a divine influence upon the mind or soul. But whether the interplay of neural networks or instigation of external forces, the children in Alison Hughes's latest picture book are being inspired to imagine, to play, and to interact in different ways with their world.

From What Inspires, written by Alison Hughes, illustrated by Ellen Rooney

Three children and a dog head to a park where not much is happening or so it would seem. But, as with children the world over, they find stuff to inspire them in their play. From watching the leaves rustling in the wind or the seeds spiralling into the air, there is much to enjoy, and the children begin to dance "a joyful seed dance, wild and free." Other park visitors join in, whether in the dance or in clapping and singing. That leads to chalk painting which leads to the construction of a castle from trees and boughs and to a ship based on the playground set. Soon there are magical creatures flying, battles to be fought, a chase and a parade. And the three children are joined by dozens of others, a diverse group of children and adults.

 

After a day of imaginative play, the weary children take to their beds and are inspired to dream more adventures.

In the twirling dance

                 of their dreams,

they wove colors, shapes and

                                   adventures

into something beautiful

                            and strange

                                         and new.

Alison Hughes's books have always had the capacity to uplift, whether they be picture books like The Creepy-Crawly Thought, Oliver Bounces Back! and The Cold Little Voice, or novels like Fly and Over the Top. Though many of her books depict children dealing with issues from anxiety and worry to cerebral palsy and bullying, What Inspires focuses on the positives that can come from being open to inspiration for creativity that can come from a falling seed, a tree, or a playground set. There is no formula for inspiration. It only requires a receptivity to the possibility in the everyday. A park with people doing ordinary things, whether biking or sitting, enjoying the quiet or watching the clouds, becomes a canvas for a myriad of experiences and connections. Moreover, Alison Hughes allows her characters to play how they wish and to imagine what they are and can do. They can dance in a wheelchair or upon a swing, tap their feet or soar on skateboards. Their experiences are their own, just as their dreams are at the end of the day. 

From What Inspires, written by Alison Hughes, illustrated by Ellen Rooney

Ellen Rooney, who won BC's Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize in 2021, uses a variety of materials, most notably coloured pencils, cut paper and digital drawing tools. These give her art textures and layers that blend the real with the imagination, grounding the characters in a park but elevating them into worlds of their own creation. From the quiet at the start of the kids' visit to the park to the busyness and exuberance of inspired play, as entwined with a sweeping ribbon of orange and green inspiration, Ellen Rooney demonstrates the fullness of life that comes with creativity.

From What Inspires, written by Alison Hughes, illustrated by Ellen Rooney

What inspires you will be your own and can happen at any time and at any place and with anyone, or no one. It could be something small and tangible, to overwhelming and ethereal. Whatever force it is that inspires you, I hope that you embrace it, even if for only a moment, to encourage the originality of thought and action that it can spark.