Rajah Street (Myo Yim, Walker Books)
In this sunny picture book, three-year-old Junya watches the world outside his window as he waits hopefully for the arrival of one of his most favourite things ever: the garbage truck. His unique perspective transforms ordinary events into whimsical imaginings, helped along by lively conversation with his mother. The school bus is actually on its way to the zoo; a motionless truck mixer could do with a nice hot breakfast to help it wake up; and that big, yellow dog looks an awful lot like a lion (‘Better hide’ is Junya’s mother’s sensible advice). Narratives about family life naturally engage toddlers, who often enjoy familiar settings, and small people will certainly feel satisfied by this one’s neat conclusion, as well as reassured by the mother’s enduring presence. Myo Yim’s illustrations, which bring to mind the free-ranging style of Chris McKimmie, capture the hustle of modern life in a city while also gorgeously evoking Junya’s rich inner life. Yim’s colourfully cluttered and heavily layered sketches have a frenetic, bursting-off-the-page quality that speaks to her eclectic background as a multimedia artist—including as costumier for Neo-Dada punk band Monkey Monkey Shake Shake. Rajah Street announces Yim as a picture book creator to watch.
Bronte Coates is a freelance reviewer.
