Le petit théâtre de Rébecca is a book by one of my favorite contemporary illustrators, Rebecca Dautremer. I’m using the term “book” loosely here, because–as the title might suggest–it’s a book designed to simulate a theatrical, interactive experience. Each of the 200+ pages contains an illustrated cut-out that reveals something new. Printed text below each cut-out does the same, with a piece of dialogue and stage instructions for the illustrated characters, all of whom originated in the author’s previous works. The reader can see glimpses of future illustrations through each successive cut-out, like visual foreshadowing.
It also challenges the idea that picture books are for children. This book is too delicate to be handled by a young kid, far too long for most children to enjoy, and has only a loose plot. So who is the intended audience, and what is the author saying through these unusual choices? Like many of my favorite pieces of art, this book innovates beyond the usual boundaries of the medium and challenges its audience to reimagine what the intended function of this medium is. When we read books or look at illustrations, is it enough to simply consume them or is there more opportunity for interaction than we realize?
The amount of time and expense that went into designing this book (and mass producing it) must have been considerable. I can’t even imagine creating something this complex and interwoven. The things that inspire me most are usually things that feel far beyond my own capabilities, so this book is a reminder that another human not only dreamed up this concept, but worked hard until it was a reality. Basically, it makes me feel like anything is possible, and no idea is too far out of reach.
Hi Serena: I love interactive children’s books and I think the market always needs more of them! This reminds me of “Press Here” by Herve Tullet, have you seen it before? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj81KC-Gm64) The book itself speaks the whole experience of interaction design, and mimics the tangible interface and visual feedback and pretty much everything we learn from HCI 101 into the most simplistic storyline for young children. The concept is universal and I just love that books like this one has already been translated to multiple languages. This particular book in your example has very intricate design but I think one challenge with young children is – sustainability of use – they destroy and fidget with things all the time. So gotta be cautious!