Οι ξένοι

by Alfredo Soderguit

Σε μια φάρμα γεμάτη κότες και χήνες, τα ζώα ζουν ικανοποιημένα και ασφαλή – ή τουλάχιστον έτσι φαίνεται. Υπάρχει άφθονη τροφή, ο καθένας ξέρει τη θέση του και ποτέ δε συμβαίνει τίποτα ασυνήθιστο. Μέχρι που καταφθάνουν οι ξένοι.
Για τις κότες οι ξένοι είναι υπερβολικά μεγάλοι, υπερβολικά βρεγμένοι, και υπερβολικά τριχωτοί. Όμως είναι η εποχή του κυνηγιού και χρειάζονται ένα μέρος για να κρυφτούν. Έτσι, οι κότες με βαριά καρδιά τούς αφήνουν να μείνουν, αρκεί να ακολουθήσουν τους κανόνες.
Καθώς όμως οι μέρες περνούν, τα γεγονότα κάνουν σιγά σιγά τις κότες να δουν την κατάσταση, και τους ξένους, με άλλο μάτι…

Ένα αστείο βιβλίο που θίγει σοβαρά θέματα: τη διαφορετικότητα, την αποδοχή, την αλληλεγγύη και τη συνύπαρξη.

Συμπεριλήφθηκε στον κατάλογο White Ravens 2020
Καλύτερο Παιδικό Βιβλίο για το 2020 σύμφωνα με τη Δημόσια Βιβλιοθήκη της Νέας Υόρκης.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Friendship, Fiction, Humor, Storytime

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Alfredo Soderguit began drawing cars when he was three. By the time he was four, he had fooled his teacher into thinking he could read because he could narrate a book by looking at the pictures. He is now an award-winning author and illustrator with more than forty books published throughout Latin America, Spain, France, and Italy.
He also makes animated films with Palermo Studio, a collective, which he founded with other illustrators and animators. His work has been selected for the Bratislava Biennale, the Bologna Book Fair Illustrator’s Exhibition, and the Children’s Literature Illustration Award of Uruguay.
His 2020 children's book, Los carpinchos/The Capybaras, appeared in the New York Public Library Best Books of 2020 and the White Ravens list.
Alfredo is the director of the prize-winning animated film, Anina. Originally from Rocha, Uruguay, he currently lives in Montevideo.

Reviews

[Brooke (B for Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful message on how c0-existence is beneficial for everyone.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Capybaras are the world’s biggest rodents. They look like giant guinea pigs! They’re cute, cuddly, calm and the star of the show in this book.

You’ll find yourself flipping through these black, white, and red illustrations again and again. This book completely caught me off guard. The cover gives off a bit of a dark vibe, but inside is pure sweetness. Come see how a bunch of comfortable, cooped up chickens band together with a few on-the-run capybaras to form a family all their own. Friendships can form in some unexpected places. Just open up your heart and look!

The Capybaras teaches readers of all ages the value of friendship, teamwork, compassion, and acceptance in such a simple, quiet, big hearted way.

Plus now I have a new animal to research. How did I not know about these cuties?

Highly recommended.

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published in Venezuela, republished in English by a company based in Vancouver and Berkeley. Translation is quirky. First line: "That was a safe, agreeable place." As an adult reader, I felt a real sense of menace in the first six pages. I don't know how much of that a child could (or should) pick up on.

I don't read a lot of children's books in translation, and this is extremely political in a way I was not expecting. Art is superb and really brings out the characters' emotions and motivations. Final image opens up many more possibilities. I've read this twice and would cheerfully read it again.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featured in a grandma reads session.

There's more than one way to save your family from the predators that abound! Both words and pictures teach a mighty lesson in this little book, showing a dynamic that lulls you in with its familiarity, and then you think those chickens are the heroes, when **boom** the book is ending and guess who saved the day after all ??????

Yep. The ones you thought YOU saved. Ha!!! Kids loved this one.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable picture book about a chicken farm getting unexpected, uninvited guests- a family of capybaras!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's pictures books like this one that makes me appreciate the power of children's literature all over again. How it can easily explain deep issues to children, helping shape their perspectives in a positive way. THE CAPYBARAS highlights prejudice, acceptance, caring for one another and working together.
🌿
The chickens and hens are living harmoniously in their coop, day in day out, perfectly happy with the way things are, always the same. Then one day the Capybaras come and change everything. They are there seeking refuge from hunters, but the Capybaras are not welcomed in the coop because of what they look like. The others feel that they don't fit in inclusively so they choose to isolate them. But then certain events unfold changing everyones perspective on the Capybaras and they see how they were wrong and including them as a part of their community will make it better.
🌿
We absolutely LOVED this one! A true gem! So excited for it be available! An essential kids book in my opinion.

Thank You to @greystonekidsbooks for sending us this one opinions are my own.
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[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful story of acceptance and friendship providing a subtle parable on immigrant and refugee experiences. Originally published in Venezuela.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chickens feel totally safe in their coop. They don't notice that their eggs or fellow chickens periodically disappear. During hunting season, a group of capybaras suddenly turn up with no place to go. The chickens feel threatened, but allow them to stay under some pretty strict conditions. There's a lot going on in this sensitively nuanced picture book: the facade of safety, the misjudging of characters by appearance, reaching out to others, and a willingness or unwillingness to share. Is this a picture book about refugees? Maybe. But it's definitely a friendship story. A thought-provoking picture book that will be a stimulating conversation starter.

[Marijn Sikken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naar iedereen in de politiek sturen want geniaal verhaal over vreemdelingenhaat

[Brigid · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming story of acceptance. a truly beautiful symbiotic relationship

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything went along fine in the chicken coop. The chickens ate. The chickens laid eggs. Did anyone really notice when a chicken or two went missing? And then the capybaras arrived. At first, the capybaras were scorned--Wild animals! Stay away! But then they proved to be something more...

A completely fresh book about the limits of judging others and the value of helping each other.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The farm was a safe place where life was comfortable and everyone knew their role. There were chickens who had plenty of food and a rather vicious dog who guarded them. Then one day, the capybaras emerged from the swampy part of the pen. There was no room for them there and they were not expected. The hens found them too big, too hairy and too wet. But the capybaras couldn’t go home because the hunting season had started. So the hens set some rules where they would not share food, or their dry pen, or tolerate any noise. Then one day after a chick had a misadventure, everything changed. The capybaras had saved the chick and now they were allowed to sleep in the chicken coop, share food and live together. Then hunting season ended and the capybaras prepared to leave. What were the new friends to do?

This picture book was originally published in Spanish in Latin America. Soderguit has a marvelous gift for wry understatement or in fact just stating the opposite of what is actually happening in the illustrations. This contributes to a sense that horrible things are happening off the page and the characters live in real denial, even before the capybaras arrive. The entire book works beautifully as a statement about refugees, tolerance and building a community.

The illustrations are a marvel of quiet moments with a lot of the power of the book being the things in the illustrations that go unremarked upon in the text. The illustrations are done in pen and ink with pops of orange color and the deep browns of the capybaras. The wide-eyed capybaras contrast impressively with the white chickens and their delicate life balance.

Profound and remarkable. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

[Shoshanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, heartwarming, sweet, Revolutionary!

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about so many things. Not least of all how we treat those who flee unsafe places.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hunting season has begun and the capybaras flee their home to find safety. They stumble upon a farm where the kindness of the local chickens allow their new friends to shelter until the danger is over. A cute and funny story of friendship and cooperation.

[Dax · Rating 4 out of 5]

<3 The beauty in this book is the multiple ways in which you can interpret the story and the message within. :D

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cute book about a creature that I don't normally see portrayed in children's stories: the capybara (which is of course why I checked out this book). The story was simple, but I really liked it, and the art is top-notch. This was the only book our library has by this author, but I'm looking forward to seeing what else he has written.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bonitísimo, más profundo que muchos libros para adultos. Lo único que me da pena es el pobre perro, el peor parado del cuento.

[Chance Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures and succinct writing.

[John Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

bello

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oui je passe mon stage à lire des albums jeunesse (j'adore ma vie!)

[W. L. Marigold · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely charming and delightful book filled to the brim with adorable and heartwarming illustrations.

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een lief boek over Capibara’s, over wat te doen als iemand anders is dan jij, en meer.


Het was al moeilijk genoeg om het boek te krijgen bij bieb #2. Haha. Ik had hem gereserveerd maar ze deden er niks mee/konden hem niet vinden. Tijdens mijn bezoek, ik zoeken, en ja, hoor ligt ie gewoon op de new releases tafel. zucht

Op naar dit boek. In dit boek ontmoeten we een stel kippen van een groep jagers. Het leven is niet het makkelijkst, geen eieren en hop weg. Dan ontmoeten we een paar capibara’s en zien hoe de kippen erop reageren. Tja, zoals veel mensen doen. Boos zijn, regels opstellen, afstand houden, en meer. Het is niet het makkelijkst want de capibara’s willen gewoon een veilige plek, weg van de boze jagers. Ik kon zowel de reacties van de kippen als capibara’s snappen, ik ga verder er niet op in, want ik weet hoe gevoelig men op het internet is.

En dan op een dag is er een gebeurtenis, iets dat heel belangrijk is voor de kippen en de capibara’s! Ik vond het jammer dat er zoiets moest gebeuren voordat x gebeurde, maar ja.

Het einde was spannend en ook onverwacht. Ik had zeker niet verwacht dat dat zou gebeuren. Het einde daar moest ik zowel om lachen als dat ik verrast was. Ik ben nieuwsgierig hoe dat verder gaat.

Mooie illustraties!

Recensie staat ook op https://boekeneiland.nl/

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this Venezuelan import. What happens when the capybaras show up unexpectedly at the chicken coop? How well will they follow the new rules? For those who are curious about what the rules are, see the spoiler at the end of this review.
Fans of barnyard stories and humor (i.e. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, Chickens to the Rescue) will enjoy this one.

The rules are; 1) Don't make any noise, 2) Don't come out of the water, 3) Don't come near the food and 4) Don't question the rules.

[Jonatan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

Este libro puede resultar engañoso, y lo digo de buena manera, ya que permite lecturas en distintos niveles.

¿Es una historia sobre lo amigables que pueden ser los carpinchos? Sí
¿Sobre como no juzgar antes de conocer? igualmente
¿Cómo trabajando en conjunto los animales pueden salir adelante? Porque no

Pero también es una muestra de las vicisitudes de los seres que migran y como todo en el lugar al que se desplazan se ve modificado, generando una serie de cambios, que impactarán a corto o largo plazo.

[Sandy Brehl]

Using minimal text and limited colors, Soderguit has created a cast of familiar and unfamiliar animal characters that share some highly recognizable traits and needs with humans. This delightful picture book all appeal to the youngest of children, but also holds a wealth of depth and discussion potential for teens and beyond. I hope it will find readers across all ages, because I have no doubt that those who meet these two animal groups in conflict will quickly agree with the summary in a Kirkus starred review: "PURELY EXQUISITE!"

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This fable about the evils of predation and captivity, prejudice and discrimination runs amok by pitting animals against each other. Why doesn’t the escape include the abused guard dog? As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “No one is free until we are all free.” The drab black-and-white line drawings with blood-red splotches depict a bleak world in which innocents will likely meet a cruel fate within the boundaries of foreboding fences and humans will continue to exert their inexorable dominion.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I'm feeling grumpy tonight because this was just kind of meh to me. I think the message is supposed to be about not having prejudice and accepting others.
I wasn't a fan of how abruptly this story began.

The text is pretty light and lots happens in the pictures, which is nice.

The book has a bit of a surprise ending as well. So I guess that's another positive. I just know I won't be clambering to share this book with others.

[Dasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mein gott.. This must be compulsory in all Cypriot schools. There is really not enough teaching of tolerance and acceptance, and of fostering diversity and creating an inclusive environment for all. Instead of singin 'Eoka' and painting blood on the flag of Cyprus, they should be reading books like this with kids.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although there are not alot of words in this one, it is absolutely glorious! I love the story and the illustrations. My daughter really enjoyed the little friendship that developed between the baby capybara and the chick.