What If...

◎法國公民文學獎

　　孩子坐在他的島上，
　　一邊看著這個世界，一邊思考。

　　孩子看到了戰爭。
　　他想，應該畫出軍人的制服和長槍，
　　應該把長槍畫成小鳥棲息的樹枝，
　　和牧羊人的笛子。

　　孩子看到了飢荒。
　　他想，應該用繩索抓住雲朵，
　　讓雨水灌溉在沙漠上。
　　應該挖掘流著水跟牛奶的河流。

　　孩子看到了憂傷。
　　他想，應該學習加、減、乘、除。
　　應該學習和別人分享金錢、
　　麵包、空氣和土地。

　　孩子看到了有權力的人，
　　他們貪心、自私、喜歡命令別人。
　　他想，應該讓他們睜開眼睛，
　　或者請他們離開…

　　孩子從他的島上看著世界，他看見戰爭、飢荒、海洋污染、人們不懂愛與分享…他看見世界有許多不公義，他靜靜的觀察，想像該怎麼做才能讓世界變得更好…
 
　　——中文書介摘錄自《走進生命花園 (二版)》，米奇巴克出版

Sitting on an island, a young child watches the world. He observes its troubles and he thinks ?about how the world could be different, and better.
What if it was the child who decided to be born? Here, from the belly of his mother, now round like an island, the child looks out at the world. Despite all of the trouble and heartache, he decides to be born, strong in his belief that he can help make the world a better place. Stunningly illustrated by Olivier Tallec, with strong colors and sketchy lines, WHAT IF... is a book that gives us a sense of purpose in being born, reminding us that our task is caring for the world and for each other.

Thierry Lenain was born in 1959. He began to write when he became a father, and never stopped, even after becoming a grandfather. He defines his own writing as ＂parental＂ in the sense of ＂accompanying children;＂ children who he, above all, wants to give the power to think for themselves and for the world of tomorrow.

Olivier Tallec’s work has been called ＂sensitive＂, ＂stunning＂, ＂breathtaking＂, and ＂beautiful.＂ Tallec was born in Brittany, France, in 1970. After graduating from the École Supérieure D’arts Graphiques in Paris, he worked in advertising as a graphic designer, after which he devoted himself to illustration. Since then he has illustrated more than sixty books, nine of which have been published by Enchanted Lion.