Title: Biliju and the planet Bilirose
Author and Illustrator: Yseult Pierre
Publisher: Toplink Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1950256402
Pages: 32
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
I am always impressed when the author of an illustrated children’s book is also the artist; as Yseult Pierre demonstrates her talent boldly within the pages of this book. Both a fanciful storyline with exceptionally creative illustrations come together in Biliju and the planet Bilirose.
Nicholas lives on a grey planet, where everything is a dull, monotone grey. Upon taking a walk one morning, he finds himself in a field when he becomes overcome with joy. He is enjoying the feeling of the grey grass and admiring the grey flowers when, all of a sudden, he starts to dance and everything around him begins to turn into vibrant colors! He doesn’t understand what is going on, when appears a creature who calls itself a Biliju. This colorful character explains to Nicholas how his emotions of happiness helped bring about the morphing of color all around him. So they then embark on a journey to Biliju’s planet of Bilirose where Nicholas learns all about his planet’s history. Upon returning to his home, he then teaches all of his friends how to turn the world into colors.
In the story, the colors are a metaphor to the love and appreciation of nature. If people don’t take the time to grasp the beauty around them, they see everything as “grey.” Once the colors appear, the joy of celebrating life and loving the world’s gifts solidify an attitude which will always make nature inspiring. The imaginative artwork is amazing in this book. One portrait of Biliju on page 14 is so intricate with detail I feel it could be framed and put on the wall of a child’s bedroom. As the storyline unfolds in a classical way, children will be entertained with the space travel, planets and alien world of Bilirose. The elements of a timeless story book adventure awaits all in this masterpiece of fantasy.
Biliju is an ideal book or being read to little ones at bedtime. Casting off their malleable imaginations into the colorful world of Bilirose, will set the perfect launching pad, so to speak, for their own space travel to distant planets filled with benevolent and interesting creatures. Boys and girls alike will equally enjoy this story, and parents will be amazed with the creative, art-filled illustrations. Biliju and the planet Bilirose is a keeper; one to be read over and over and passed down to generations yet to come.
