It's not often that you find a Graphic Novel about Wartime, and yet having discovered The Garden of Inside-Outside by Chiara Mezzalama, it seems the perfect medium to introduce life during conflict to a child reader.
The story is based on Chiara's memories of moving to Iran in 1980, during the Iraq invasion led by Saddam Hussein when her Father was appointed as Italy's Ambassador to Iran and moved the whole family there.
As the child of an Ambassador they lived in a beautiful palace house, with a huge walled garden filled with beauty.
Inside the garden there were fountains the colour of the sky, pomegranate trees and shady ponds rippling with colourful fish. Wild areas filled with butterflies, lizards and wildflowers were their playground, and cicadas sung them to sleep at night to accompany the scent of jasmine rising from the garden.
But outside the wall all was dark and heavy, gunfire and bombs destroyed homes and people were left hungry. Outside was scary, but they felt safe
Inside, in their secret garden until one day the Outside comes inside, and the children's sense of safety within their walls is challenged.
The story is beautifully and intelligently illustrated by Regis Lejonc the juxtaposition between Inside and Outside is graphically depicted with the use of colour. Inside all is soft blues and greens, dappled shade and peaceful skies. Outside everything is red and black, dark shadows and angry faces.
An unlikely friendship shows us that even in Wartime, peace and understanding can be found if we have the heart to set aside hate and fear and embrace kindness and understanding. As always children - with their lack of prejudice, show us the way here.
The Garden of Inside Outside.
Recommended for readers 9+
Written by: Chiara Mezzalama
Illustrated by: Regis Lejonc
Published by: Book Island.
