By Ruth Donnelly

As a translator with a special interest in Latin America, as well as a mother of three kids who slot neatly into three different reading categories – the youngest still loves me to read to her, the middle one is on firm middle-grade territory, and the oldest is starting to explore YA – I was excited to find books from the continent to suit each of them. Now, the more astute amongst you will notice that two of the three titles reviewed below are picture books, but not all picture books are for pre-schoolers, as you will see…

Fittingly, these three books cover the ABC of Latinx countries – Argentina, Brazil and Colombia (apologies to all the other Bs and Cs…), offering readers of all ages an introduction to the rich variety of literature that South America has to offer.

Afterward, Everything was Different: A Tale from the Pleistocene

A picture book in the truest sense, Afterward, Everything was Different contains no words at all until the final page. The beautifully detailed, monochromatic illustrations tell the tale of life for early humans, imagining how the very first cave paintings may have come about. A little girl and her tribe travel the land, hunting for food and bearing witness to all the awesome and terrifying sights that prehistoric Earth had to offer. When they finally reach the relative safety of a cave, the girl begins to draw on its walls the things they have seen…

Rafael Yockteng’s illustrations are so intricate that it is possible to read this book several times over and take something new from it each time. The whole concept is very meta – it’s a story in pictures about how the first stories were told through pictures – so while it’s perfectly suitable for the usual picture book readership, and will be attractive to dinosaur lovers everywhere, its range extends well into middle grade, where older readers will perhaps appreciate some of the nuances that the littlies might miss.

Though so short as to be easily missed, Jairo Buitrago’s words on the final page, deftly translated by Elisa Amado, are poetic – an ode to the power of art and the importance of storytelling.

The Collector of Heads

This is another picture book, but visually it could not be more different. The flamboyant, colourful illustrations are faintly reminiscent of David Roberts’ work in the Questioneers series, but with a healthy dose of surrealism thrown in, and the wording continues that theme. The Collector of Heads tells the story of Rosália, who has an extensive collection of human heads that she keeps in jars. As she examines each of these heads in closer detail, we are privy to some of the thoughts and memories captured inside – some of which you might have expected, others much less so.

In the cook’s head, for example, alongside recipes and culinary ambitions, we see a fish that escaped from the pan and became her pet. The rich lady thinks about extravagant shoes, but also how to combat loneliness. And at the end of the book is an opportunity for the reader to note down what’s inside their head, followed by questions about what kind of thoughts and secrets Rosália herself might be harbouring, and a look inside the mind of the author.

At once dark and strangely uplifting, this is a great book to get kids aged 6+ thinking and asking questions about the world, and the people, around them.

The Darkness of Colours

‘Twenty-five years! But where has she been all that time?’

Hatred darkened Omar Annuar’s face as he replied, ‘That’s what we’d like you to find out.’

In early 20^th-century Buenos Aires, journalist Alejandro is asked to look into the case of five babies who disappeared a quarter of a century ago and are now being returned, one by one. As his investigation deepens, further puzzles arise, and Alejandro becomes more and more embroiled in his quest to dig out the truth.

Told in short chapters, alternating with extracts from the diary of the mysterious “Dr. Andrew”, this is a real page-turner. Genre-wise it ticks a lot of boxes too: it’s historical fiction combined with thriller/mystery, and it raises a lot of interesting questions, particularly around the nature vs. nurture debate. Claire Storey’s translation includes some beautiful turns of phrase that capture the language of the time perfectly, so this would be a great forerunner to Conan Doyle for those making their first forays into the world of detective fiction.

There are some darkish themes and a bit of violence, so parents may want to make their own minds up whether it’s suitable for younger teens, but none of it is gratuitous, and the story overall is clever and thought provoking, making it a must-read for ages 14 and up.

About Ruth

Ruth Donnelly is a Spanish-to-English literary translator, and mother/caregiver to three kids, two cats and a tortoise. Her main interest is in Latin American fiction, particularly children’s literature. A short story she translated will appear in Latin American Literature Today at the end of this year, and she spends most of her time, workwise, sourcing and translating new and exciting writing for children from Latin America. Samples of her work can be found on her website: www.ruthdonnellytranslates.co.uk