A blank white page and a purple crayon
In my four years at the Silent Book Contest I have examined hundreds and hundreds of projects and every time, together with the other jurors, we have found ourselves having no small difficulty when making the selections. Decisions have never been easy or obvious and always – and this is not a trivial observation by any means – we have been unanimous in agreeing that the level of quality has increased. This year the challenge was even more difficult but at the same time I would say richer and more exciting. This is all thanks to Gianni De Conno who with his usual calm ability to plan and look into the future, understood that something was moving in the world of silent books and that a particular sector, with its historical autonomy and its precise statutes, was undergoing tremendous changes, looking for new ways and opportunities. Here, what seemed to be a courageous and perhaps risky bet turned out to be a winner right from the start. Beyond the obvious lack of a written text people might wonder what unites such different works as those that over time have been awarded or selected. I was about to use the usual metaphor of the “fil rouge” or “common thread” but then I realized that I should really refer to the “purple crayon” that Harold uses in Crockett Johnson’s timeless classic. Suffice to say that what is confirmed here is the creative power that comes from the blank page, the insistent nagging thinking that after endless hours or days of work eventually leads to a story. It could be said that this also happens with picture books, but in the case of silent books, all this is enhanced even more, and can be seen to unfold in the overwhelming involvement of the readers, with their emotions and ability to “see”.
– Walter Fochesato