This Thing Called Life

Noted designer and illustrator Christian Borstlap has undertaken the challenge to explain what life is to youngsters ranging from preschool to the early grades. But this is an engrossing read that will also appeal to the adults. Using few words, but with illustrations that capture a myriad range of the readers’ imagination, the writer manages to distill the essence of what passes for life as we humans view this phenomenon. Using the earthen, colors of browns, greens, blues, corals, and sunflower yellow; the hatched rounded glob-like creatures delineated in the pages will find children’s fingers tracing the shapes and voicing their personal interpretations of the figures. Starting from the galaxy and unknown origins, the story continues to list some characteristics of life such as reproducing, moving, breathing, eating, surviving. Life consists of all sizes from the invisible to creatures such as giant whales. And continues onto some deep philosophical thoughts that children should face, such things as the finite time life allows us and the inequities that are part of the journey but emphasizes that working together is the glue that binds all living things. This is a soulful book that carries an important message to youngsters using the simplest words and vitalized by the amazing appealing illustrations.