Varmints

Product Information

Helen Ward won the first Walker Prize for Children’s Illustration and twice won the British National Art Library Award.

I bought it from my kids school book fair, neither of them (7 and 5) were very interested in it even after I purchased it and read it to them at home, I guess I prefer for them to love cheerful, colorful books with unicorns and rainbows. Suddenly, there is a transformation of this beautiful world, as an army of varmints bring forth tall buildings.Ward and Caste's story sounds too familiar as I think about our own environment and the overuse of materials and abuse of this planet. enduringly persistent hope and the joy of love - but therein lies the crux of reader response and exploratory talk.

Varmints, written by Helen Ward and illustrated by Marc Craste, is a simple yet powerful picture book for older readers (Grades 4 and up). A crew of 35 people worked in three countries over a two year period to make the film, and an original score by Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson and sound design by Adrian Rhodes complete the picture John Maher/DotAndLine “Underpinning all this bleak beauty is a sweeping score, deeply mournful at times and industrially eerie or grandly orchestral at others” — written by the much mourned Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannson, who passed all too soon in 2018— The score to Varmints was written near the beginning of Jóhannson’s pivot from electronic chamber and ambient music toward something more cinematic—far before the composer of Englabörn and Virðulegu forsetar became better known for his work with director Denis Villeneuve on Prisoners, Sicario, and Arrival, or for his score for James Marsh’s The Theory of Everything.From the curious creature staring out at the reader on the cover, to its large physical nature and wild typography and breath-taking art, Ward and Marc Craste's creation needs a patient orator and audience.

Not every child is going to like this but for those whose imaginations crave deeper, more fantastic stories, this would be perfect for them. I love the cover which first attracted me to the book with the character that looks like a bunny in the centre of the page, dark looking, with all the plants around also dark but has a light background behind him. There is also a BAFTA and Oscar-nominated accompanying short film which will support children’s learning and lead to discussion about how to look after the places we live. In think about other definitions of this word, I would add that varmints often cause harm or annoyance to others.I couldn't actually interest any children in this book, but most of the adults I shared it with, thanked me for sharing this precious jewel that I discovered at the library. Its album version, entitled And in the Endless Pause There Came the Sound of Bees, adds an extra fifteen minutes of material and is all the better for it. Some of the illustrations made me very sad thinking about how dissmal our lives can become when we don't stop for the precious things, people, places in front of us - nature, family, friends, students who have something to share. Really detailed, deep/dark and clever illustrations make the reader really ponder and make meaning of the text. Both pieces--book and movie--create a dark environment through color and font choice that affect the overall mood and tone of this interesting story.

This can mean they are in power and have taken over the environment but as soon as there is hope with one bunny there is always light on the character and the badgers disappear. It's an analogy for our own industrialisation, and the sacrifices we've made - and the wilderness has made. Peace and quiet are the most important things in the world but the darkness of the buildings cast a shadow over these sacred things.Overall I think this would be a picturebook that could really allow for quality work in the classroom, with an abundance of learning opportunities: outdoor learning - nature and wildlife, art, lighting and planting seeds.