CARGO

A sea gull keeps watch over the voyage of a cargo ship and the man who helms it.

This serene book begins with a child asleep in the dark of night, a sea gull flying out the window. “Tonight I am a bird. A seagull.” The bird glides over the water, finding a massive ship loaded with a colorful patchwork of cargo containers in the dark waters and a tiny solitary figure pulling a rolling suitcase toward the ship. It is this man, the captain, who holds the sea gull’s interest as the boat begins its journey. The poetic text and sweeping art capture the grandeur of the ocean and the immense size of the ship. Eventually the ship arrives at its destination, a beautiful city nestled in mountains, and “arms of steel reach out to move the containers.” The bustle of activity is not pictured, only the man leaning on a rail and looking out at the ocean. Varied perspectives, textures, and palettes keep readers engaged and highlight the solitude of traveling the ocean as well as the more complex workings of the ship and shore. But the spare use of color and weight when the man finally arrives home with a big hug for the child dims the emotional climax somewhat. Both man and child have paper white skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A dreamlike journey afar and back home.