Running

The hare, the horse, the boar and the deer run as fast and as far as they can. Their shadows run with them. They run over the plain, through the sand, through the grass. They run past a hill. They rush, they dash, they race.

‘Running’ is all about sound, movement, speed. Words and pictures zoom across the pages. Readers are swept up by the dynamic of the running, and can feel their heartbeat pounding away, as they join in with the motion of these galloping animals.

‘Running’ is a book that races forward thanks to the accelerating rhythm and mysterious illustrations. Elvis Peeters’ hurtling text begs to be read aloud and for the mesmerising cadence of running animals to be loudly audible. Gerda Dendooven’s suggestive prints bring that momentum to life, adding both a supernatural atmosphere and playful details to the story. This picture book allows even the very young to come into contact with poetic language at a high level, without it becoming inaccessible. This is real children’s literature.