Wenn ich groß bin, werde ich Seehund

Nikolaus Heidelbach draws from the Irish and Scottish legends of women who are seals. He tells the story of a boy who lives with his mother and his fisherman father by the sea. The quiet text and its artistically concise sentences give the reader space for imagination. Heidelbach has created a magical visual world as yet unseen using water colours, gouache and crayons. The underwater world is literally swimming towards the reader. On closer inspection, we realize that the creatures of the ocean have human faces and that the whale is carrying a whole royal palace on its back. The incredible liveliness of the character depiction and the intense landscapes create an atmosphere in which a secret may stay a secret – until the reader figures it out. Nikolaus Heidelbach presents a new and different aspect of his artistic prowess in this unique picture book, producing a gem in the art of narrative and visual storytelling for children. This book was selected for the IBBY Honour List 2014.