River, il cane nero

Author: Suzy Lee
Format: 19x17cm Hardback (pp80)
ISBN: 9788875707637
Publisher: Edizioni Corraini (Mantova, Italy)
Publication date: April 2002

Inspired by a true story experienced by the author and her children, Suzy Lee's new book tells the unforgettable encounter with a black dog in search of a home. River was saved and welcomed with love and became a companion in games and adventures, which come to life on paper through simple and immediate lines. The white of the pages leaves room for the reader’s imagination, who immediately finds themselves immersed in River’s story and his way of seeing the world: we dive with him in the snow (or in a pile of leaves), we become part of the family, and through his point of view we experience happiness and friendship, but also expectation and nostalgia.

In a format reminiscent of a diary, River traces an intimate and personal story, made up of images and words: a novelty compared to the previous silent books published by Corraini. We still find the characteristics that make Suzy Lee's style unique - the intensity of black and white, the surprise presence of colour, the essentiality of the features and the importance of the empty space - and that here have the spontaneity and strength of a first-person experience. The story becomes a way to deal with detachment, to make a bond that lasts over time which you do not want to forget.