Review by Michelle Shaw
https://reviews.skbooks.com/rainbow-makes-a-promise-a/ Marion Mutala really is a creative dynamo. A Rainbow Makes a Promise is her twentieth book and once again she beautifully combines poetry and music into a kaleidoscope of creativity. Saskatchewan author Mutala is perhaps best known for her national best-selling and award-winning children’s book series, Baba’s Babushka: Magical Ukrainian Adventures, which was recently collected in a beautiful 175-page illustrated limited edition hardcover. But she’s also written poetry (her second book of poetry, Race to Finish, was published in 2021), a cookbook (Baba Sophie’s Ukrainian Cookbook) and even a crime novel set in Saskatoon (The Mechanic’s Wife). In an interview a few years ago, she said, “it seems the more I write the more ideas flow.” And that really seems to be true. A Rainbow Makes a Promise celebrates the rainbow as a symbol of peace, love, and hope. Each page explodes with colour. The pictures are big and bold, and each page is bordered by a beautiful, colourful geometric Ukrainian embroidery motif. Mutala uses a variety of artwork styles throughout the book, including photos, watercolours, hand drawn illustrations and AI generated images. The words of the book are simple but many of them resonated with me long after I closed the book, such as “I have never seen a war that helps the world to live” and “It is time to stand up to evil and never give up the fight” — those pages are appropriately illustrated with superheroes! At the back of the book there is a QR code which the reader can scan and listen to Mutala herself singing the words of the song. Sheet music is also provided so the book really can be an immersive experience as you play and sing along yourself. If you’re only just discovering Marion Mutala’s work or you’re a long-time fan, I think you’re going to enjoy A Rainbow Makes a Promise. Comments are closed.
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