1. Alliteration
2. Compassion
3. Death
4. Depression
5. Emotions
6. Fathers
7. Figurative language
8. Floods
9. Grief
10. Hope
11. Imagery
12. Kindness
13. Loss
14. Mental health
15. Natural disasters
16. Personification
17. Visual literacy

‘Mizuto and the Wind’ is based on real events. A young boy experiences grief at the loss of his father in the tsunami that occurred in the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. The author, Kaye Baille, was inspired by a documentary about a telephone booth with a disconnected telephone, built by Itaru Sasaki, in Otsuchi, a town some 500 km northeast of Tokyo. This booth allowed Sasaki to privately grieve the loss of his loved one. It is said that connections were made through only the wind and his words.

In ‘Mizuto and the Wind,’ young Mizuto and his mother travel to the ‘kaze no denwa’ (‘wind phone’). There they celebrate memories of their lost father and husband. Others say that this unconnected phone line keeps in touch with their loved ones and brings them solace in their grief. When the 2011 tsunami hit, some 20,000 people were killed in north-eastern Japan. Sasaki then opened his garden with the telephone booth so that others might connect with their lost loved ones.

The artist, Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki, spent over a decade in Japan. Her artwork features Japanese influences. She describes her style as ‘atmospheric, emotive with gestural looseness.’ The initial opening scenes portray father and son looking forward to sharing a game of soccer. Dark, turbulent scenes follow revealing that the ‘ground groaned and shifted.’ Desolation features in the cold, bold, overlapping art. A grey double page captures mother’s and son’s grief also reflected in the figurative language used. At school, Mizuto ‘felt trapped behind an invisible wall. Thoughts of his father sometimes grew into an ocean, and he feared it would wash him away.’ Mizuto travelled to the ‘wind phone’ and communicated his sense of loss. He no longer felt ‘crashing waves in his belly. He felt a lapping calm sea.’ Mother and son began sharing memories of father and husband. They say his name every day.

The illustrations are a perfect accompaniment to this story that brings grief to the surface and allows satisfying memories of loved ones to bring solace. The combined artistry in story and illustrations capture and release emotions is a highly satisfying way.

1. Helen Gibbins EXHIBITION: ‘ILLUMINATE - THE ART OF ILLUSTRATION’ Anglesea art space 10-21 June 2021 interview with illustrator Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki https://helengibbins.com/luisagioffresuzuki
2. Storm Literary Agency profile of Kaye Baillie https://www.stormliteraryagency.com/kayebaillie
3. Midnight Sun Publishing 8 May 2023 author profile for Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki https://midnightsunpublishing.com/2023/05/luisa-gioffre-suzuki/
4. Hug Humans in Geelong 10 Sept 2020 profile of Kaye Baillie https://humansingeelong.com/2020/09/10/kaye-baillie-childrens-author/
5. Kids’ Book Review 8 June 2023 ‘Meet the Illustrator: Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2023/06/meet-illustrator-luisa-gioffre-suzuki.html
6. Books+Publishing 4 Apr 2023 review by Anica Boulanger-Mashberg of ‘Mizuto and the Wind’ https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2023/04/04/228766/mizuto-and-the-wind-kaye-baillie-illus-by-luisa-gioffre-suzuki-midnightsun/
7. Dr Lara Cain Gray 15 June 2023 review of ‘Mizuto and the Wind’ https://www.laracaingray.com/2023/06/15/mizuto-and-the-wind/
8. Reuters l The Wider Image 7 Apr 2021 reveals the story of an unconnected phone line in the town of Otsuchi placed there for people to keep in touch with deceased loved ones and gain solace in their grief. https://widerimage.reuters.com/story/japans-tsunami-survivors-call-lost-loves-on-the-phone-of-the-wind
9. Scholastic Teaching Notes for ‘Mizuto and the Wind’ https://resource.scholastic.com.au/ResourceFiles/100125724_111872.pdf