Yutoland shows how an ordinary, safe and carefree life can quickly be transformed, and at the same time how much strength and power is mobilized when life is in danger. The book is written as a fantasy to simplify the communication of complex emotions. A refugee child carries fear, pain and sadness, but also hope, resilience and generosity. In the tension between these strong emotions, there is a driving force and a zest for life that lives in each and every one of us. A refugee, especially a child, loses their carefree childhood when faced with some of the worst traumas life has to offer. Yet the hope and dream of the future becomes more vivid and at times all-consuming. Because we adapt quickly and are able to enjoy small things even in a difficult situation.
Yutoland – a true story fairytale, can help both adults and children to process something difficult that has happened in their lives. Despite the serious theme, the book is very playful and warm in its expression. Amela Koluder makes her debut as a Norwegian-Bosnian author with Yutoland – a true story fairy tale, a bilingual picture book. She is originally from Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina and came to Norway as a war refugee in 1993.
Yutoland is illustrated by Jasna Talovic, a graphic designer from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Order the book here: blikkforlag@gmail.com
