Pina explores the haunted country of the imagination where children struggle to place themselves in the big scary world. Pina’s fear to venture out of his little house into the wide world will resonate with timid kids.The techniques he uses to overcome his fear—mindful breathing,thinking of his favorite things, carrying a familiar, comforting object with him when he leaves the house—will prove useful to many children. It took the author two years to sculpt little Pina (named after the author’s cat, which she named after German-born choreographer Pina Bausch), build his shadow-box home, photograph the book’s scenes,and add Photoshop layers to create the book’s arresting illustrations. Pina offers safe access for young readers to the scary territory explored by Coraline, The Night Gardener, and other stories for older kids.

Translated by: Sidney Wade