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ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Never expect sweet and sentimental from Greder - his picturebooks are always complex, political, demanding and definitely not for little children. This one is no exception - it deals with the 'dirty diamond' trade. A young girl watches her mother put on her diamond earrings, and asks questions. When sent to bed, she falls into a nightmare - the nightmare of diamond mining in areas of conflict. Through a series of textless illustrations, the process whereby the raw materials in a conflict zone end up as jewellery on a rich woman's ears is followed. From the enslaved miners through corrupt businessmen and foreign dealers, the illustrations are in Greder's trademark smudged thick lines and swathes of expressionist dark-not-quite-black shading, with subtle touches of the occasional other colour, this is a book that doesn't need words. Thought provoking and powerful; and a reminder that there are many things overshadowed by current events, but nonetheless still happening... Lindy Jones
Armin Greder was born in Switzerland. In 1971 he migrated to Australia where he worked as a graphic designer and later taught design and illustration at a tertiary art institution. Books he has illustrated include 2016 CBCA Picture Book of the Year, Flight, with Nadia Wheatley, and The Great Bear, An Ordinary Day and I Am Thomas, all written by Libby Gleeson. Books he has authored and illustrated include The Mediterranean, The Island, The City and Australia to Z. His work, in which charcoal is prominent, reflects his European background. He is the recipient of a number of international recognitions such as the Bologna Ragazzi Award and has been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Prize. He now lives in Lima, Peru, together with his companion Victoria.
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Never expect sweet and sentimental from Greder - his picturebooks are always complex, political, demanding and definitely not for little children. This one is no exception - it deals with the 'dirty diamond' trade. A young girl watches her mother put on her diamond earrings, and asks questions. When sent to bed, she falls into a nightmare - the nightmare of diamond mining in areas of conflict. Through a series of textless illustrations, the process whereby the raw materials in a conflict zone end up as jewellery on a rich woman's ears is followed. From the enslaved miners through corrupt businessmen and foreign dealers, the illustrations are in Greder's trademark smudged thick lines and swathes of expressionist dark-not-quite-black shading, with subtle touches of the occasional other colour, this is a book that doesn't need words. Thought provoking and powerful; and a reminder that there are many things overshadowed by current events, but nonetheless still happening... Lindy Jones
Greder's haunting, dark, charcoal-and-pastel images capture the devastation, greed, and secrecy that accompany the diamond trade. The juxtaposition of Amina's tenderness against Mama's stern silencing of Carolina's probing questions speaks volumes. --Kirkus Reviews
