When Willy Found His Wings

Willy’s father is keen to teach his son something new every day. But every time he looks over the boy’s shoulder, something goes wrong. Willy is growing clumsier by the day. He can never do anything right in his father’s eyes. Then one day his father decides to send Willy out into the great, wide world to discover his talents. He sends him on his way with the words: ‘Leave the forest. Go somewhere.’ His journey brings him to an old woman who gives him shelter in her little cottage in the forest. Willy helps the woman and she appreciates his assistance. And so, step by step, Willy finds his own way in life, grows and gets to know himself better. Once Willy has built up enough self-confidence, he returns home. In his absence, his father has also had a chance to think things over.

‘When Willy Found His Wings’ is a moving story about growing up, letting go and coming home. Bergh’s sentences are poetic and evocative, with eloquent silences and multiple layers of meaning. Alain Verster’s nostalgic illustrations are a beautiful match for Bergh’s text, visualising the underlying emotions in a sophisticated collage style with shades of warm orange and yellow.