What do you do when your world turns upside-down, and your happy memories disappear?
Marley’s dream-cloth reminds her of safe and happy times, and of the people she loves. When times get tough and the cloth rips in two, those memories begin to slide away. Marley must make new loving memories before she can bring back the old ones.
Only then can she begin to imagine the future anew.
Inspired by work with children after earthquakes in Christchurch and Mexico City, A Teaspoon of Light is a story about loss, despair and the repairing of dreams. Author Peter O’Connor, an internationally recognised expert in using the arts to heal trauma, has woven a tale of hope for children struggling to make sense of their world, which Nisaluk Chantanakom has brought to vibrant life with her luminous artwork.
This is a story of our times.
There are some wonderful teaching resources created by Peter and his team at Teaspoon of Light - Te Rito Toi
Endpaper Front
Endpaper Back
illustratinG
A Teaspoon of Light
I thought I'd share a bit about the illustration process for A Teaspoon of Light. This book was created using pencil, charcoal, and watercolour. These traditional media were then brought together digitally through collaging and painting in Photoshop. The final artworks contain around 100-250 layers, including drawings, textures (watercolours, charcoal, rubbing, and coffee stains), and paintings. Each artwork was carefully considered and experimented on over the course of two years. Additionally, I used old masters and architecture as references, such as Albrecht Dürer's 'Adoration of the Magi', and the inverted tower, also known as the "initiation well" at Quinta da Regaleira in Portugal. In creating this world, I sought to bridge the gap between the old, the new, and the fantastical. This creates a tension where the place feels familiar yet strangely foreign.
Click on the activity sheets to download A4 printable images.