2019
author
Zuzana Bramborová (CZ)
title
The Earthworm Is Asking Questions
degree
M.A. project
school
Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague
supervisor
MgA. Ph.D. Tereza Říčanová
The main protagonist of the book is an earthworm, who lives a peaceful life under the ground, which is suddenly disrupted by strange sounds. Then, the earthworm leaves its home, finds a young girl who takes care of the garden, and asks her numerous questions. The earthworm is interested in a number of things – gardening, vegetables, seeds, and so on. When all the questions are asked, it says goodbye to the girl and so the story ends. The whole book is based on simple, or actually naïve questions, which are meant to discover the so-called worm’s-eye view. This way, the book succeeds in grasping the readers’ attention and making them mindful about what is happening in their surroundings, the natural environment. The rhythm of the narrative is quite slow, which leaves a lot of scope for imagination. The individual character of the project is emphasised by the limited use of colours and the minimalist illustrations made with charcoal.