Hay Festival: Global
Yesterday, after a chilly start, the sun sone down on the festival site in Hay as I headed for the Wye Stage for the ‘Global’ event with Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin and Giovanni Rigano. In 2017, at Bath Literary Festival, I heard them speak about ‘Illegal’, their incredibly powerful, moving graphic novel about Ebo, whose story is fictional, but based on true stories. Having thoroughly enjoyed this event, I knew I was in for a real treat- and I was not disappointed!
The very easy and genuine friendship between Eoin, Andrew and Giovanni was evident from the outset, creating a very natural and relaxed atmosphere. Giovanni was drawing a picture (which was to be awarded to the person who asked the best question) and it was a joy to watch such a talented artist at work!
When my son was younger, we went to hear Eoin Colfer speak as every new ‘Artemis Fowl’ book came out and these sessions were always characterised by Eoin’s quick sense of humour and ability to entertain. Although the subject matter of both ‘Global’ and ‘‘Illegal’ is serious, plenty of this humour filtered its way into the discussion and this time passed very quickly. Having explained their reasons for choosing the impact of climate change as the theme for ‘Global’, they using the graphic novel format for conveying the story.
Emphasising that there are many different ways to create graphic novels and comics, they talked through the process that they used for creating ‘Global', showing fascinating glimpses into the different stages used to develop the story to the final product. Giovanni’s talent was constantly praised and Eoin and Andrew focused on one particular spread to consider how layered the pictures are, offering additional information and clues about the characters, how light is used to focus attention on particular features… It was a joy to listen to!
‘Global’ is a fabulous story, the compelling tale of two children from very different locations who both face the harsh realities of global warming. Like ‘Illegal’, it is an essential addition to school libraries and bookshelves, tackling a difficult topic in an accessible way, sure to encourage empathy for those whose lives might be more dramatically impacted by climate change. The artwork is stunning, making it instantly appealing and easy to enjoy time and time again. A brilliant session about a brilliant book!
Global
Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Giovanni Rigano
Hodder Children’s ISBN: 978-1444951912