By Roger Mello
Translated by Daniel Hahn
Published by Elsewhere Editions, October 25, 2022
Review
João by a Thread will sweep you away. Readers accompany little João to bed, where he picks at his blanket and lets his mind drift until it is unclear if he is dreaming or wondering. João's blanket becomes the landscape upon which our adventure in the liminal space between sleep and wakefulness plays out. Exquisite line drawings in red, black, and white enhance the surreal feeling while uncertainty that pervades the story. After the book is closed, rapt readers will wonder themselves, was that a dream or did he really go on a fantastical journey? Mello and Hahn succeed in evoking the feeling one has upon waking from a dream that felt so real.
I read this to a young family friend, and she was absorbed during the reading and wanted to know, "Wait, what? Did it happen? Was he sleeping?" at the end. I love a book that leaves the reader theorizing and questioning! João by a Thread is a journey worth taking.
Note: A review copy was provided upon request for the purpose of an honest review. All thoughts are our own.
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