Picture Book Marathon, Day 2 (again)

I'm beginning to see this marathon not only as a picture book marathon but also as a figure-out-how-to-use-photoshop-better-so-you-don't-embarrass-yourself-with-your-awful-drawings marathon. Today I decided to get ahead of the game and write TWO picture books (that's allowed, isn't it? I don't think I could finish the marathon if I wasn't allowed to do books in advance. The first one I did today is here), and with my continuing theme of variety, I made today's book a wordless picture book. And, to try to make my cover a bit better than yesterday's, I traced an actual photo. Unfortunately, the picture didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it (AKA not at all the way I wanted it), but here it is.

Picture Book #3: Fox & Sparrow

Anna, sparrow, flies out of a cage. Flies in the sky (4 panels). Sees Ari, fox. Approaches cautiously. Ari smiles, insincere. Anna and Ari play (9 panels). Ari leads Anna through arch. They play. Ari backs out. Anna sees other animals (butterfly, cat, hawk, dog). Anna tries to go to them. Anna get caught on bars. Zoom out. Anna is in a cage. Ari looms nearby. Anna drifs down to bottom of cage. Anna transforms into doe. Anna rams against bars of cage. Bars shatter. Ari smiles insincerely. Anna turns away. Anna joins other animals. Ari is left alone.

Lots of symbolism in this one, and I'm not sure some of the kids will get it. What do you clever readers think? Do you get it?

This is a retelling (with a few obvious changes) of events that happened when I was in elementary school. No, I didn't get put in a cage, but a friend of mine didn't turn out to be quite as friendly as I had originally hoped, and even tried to stop me from making new friends. Luckily I grew up (hence the transformation) and although she still goes to my school, I'm strong enough to stand up to her now.

By the way, the four other animals in the story are animal versions of four of my closest friends now.

Please comment! Feedback would be incredibly helpful, especially with this one, since I'm not sure if my story is getting across.