Flora and the Flamingo
Yesterday I went to my favourite bookstore in Madrid. I’ve only been there once before, but it is definitely my favourite.
Last time, I bought the pop-up book called Oceano (you can see it here). This time I was with a friend who didn’t seem too interested in the books, so I cruised around the shop quite quickly. Then I saw it, bright pink and beautiful:
Being in Spain, the book was in Spanish. And I must say that with the double meaning of “flamenco” and the book being about a special kind of dance, maybe the Spanish title is more intriguing than the simple English one – Flora and the Flamingo. In any case, it was a beautiful book and I feel in love almost immediately.
Unfortunately, we had to leave. And the book wasn’t cheap, so I left it there.
We walked around Madrid whose shops were all one sale (and I had my credit card with me, TRAGEDY!). After about 45mins my friend and I went our separate ways and I realised that all I wanted to do was to go back and buy that book. I wanted it, I needed it… No, it wasn’t really essential. Nor useful. But haven’t you ever had that feeling that urges you to buy a book just so that you can open it sometimes and look at it again?
Yes, I used “look”, because this book has no words. It has flawless pastel watercolours that tell a simple but oh-so-cute story of friendship, forgiveness and the joy of finding someone like you. Communication being impossible between the two friends, maybe the absence of words was the perfect choice. A book for children? Maybe. A book for adults? Absolutely.
Of course I ran back and picked it up and bought it all in one breath. On the metro, turning the pages and smiling, a little girl came up and started looking at the pages with me. She loved it, too, and her mother asked me where I had bought it so I handed her their business card (in the shape on a yellow butterfly, so apt!). I hope I sent them another customer, because that bookstore is special. Magical, even. And the book is totally worth the money.
Here are some photos and, at the end, a video of the author.
Thank you, Molly, for sharing this precious creation of yours.
One Comment on “Flora and the Flamingo”
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Together with Nicole Duplaix, Chair of the IUCN-SSC Otter Specialist Group , I wrote a book all about otters and how wonderful they are. Check it out We Love Otters
fullofdaisies.com 
Il tratto dei suoi disegni è squisito, e poi mi piace molto il fatto che anche lei, nel video, dica di non trovare le parole. Rende chiaro il messaggio 🙂
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