El viaje de Abril

K-Gr 3–After the bombings above her hometown, Abril goes on a journey with only her backpack of memories and her stuffed bunny, Coco. She meets Julio, who is also displaced, and they continue the journey together. Once at the infinite ocean, they make a raft, drift, and are spotted by a paper boat that transforms into a paper airplane flying in the wind. Abril and Julio find a home and dream of a world at peace. This work is a stirring introduction to the concept of war and displacement. Rovira’s illustrations complement the ­lyrical narrative and emphasize the theme; for example, scattered belongings are featured throughout. Most illustrations take up full spreads. Some key scenes depicting travel, such as when Abril is walking in the rain and when the boat navigates to them, are in boxes on separate pages to emphasize the journey or in multiple boxes across a page. The use of negative space emphasizes isolation in wartime childhood experiences. The pencil-like drawings are done with soft colors. Hope is represented in different ways: through the paper boat that turns into a paper plane that can transport the characters away from the chaotic aftermath and in Abril and Julio’s dreams of world peace. Abril has light skin; Julio appears to have light brown skin.