CONTENT:
Last: The Story of a White Rhino (2020) was written and illustrated by Nicola Davies and it is based on a real story. The picturebook tells the story of an endangered white rhino who was taken from his land and moved to a zoo in order to save his species. The story is told by the rhino himself who describes his own feelings and emotions linked to the moments he spent in the wild and at the zoo. The picturebook ends with the release of the rhino and his return to nature, where he meets a female rhino. The two mate and have cubs so that the species survives.
WHY USING THIS PICTUREBOOK:
The picturebook help children understand the concept of “endangered species” and highlights the importance of protecting animals. It encourages the reflection on a current and relevant topic and creates a sense of empathy towards animals. The illustrations contribute to conveying feelings and emotions, both through the expressions of the characters and through the use of colours. In representing the zoo, in fact, the author uses the colour grey, thus conveying sadness and melancholy, while in representing wild nature she uses bright colours, which convey joy. In this way, children are helped to understand the narrative and to develop empathy towards what is happening to the rhino. The text and the illustrations combine in an expanding interplay, thus offering opportunities for further discussion. The text is written using the first person, this contributes to creating a connection between the rhino and the audience and it promotes the readers/listeners’ emotional involvement.
