This is the first book for which Martin Stanev has written the text. It is in the picture book genre and has been very well received since its debut, already having been published in several languages. The plot was inspired by the author’s not-so-distant childhood and by the timely topic of environmental protection. A brother and sister find out that their grandmother’s world, which has seemed ordinary and uninteresting up till then, is full of miracles, and her life has a mission. This discovery happens suddenly, when she disappears one day and wild animals appear in her house. A mysterious door leads them to an endless warehouse full of jars. Not just any jars, but magical ones. Martin Stanev has filled these jars and the pages of the entire book with drawings of things, places, and events. The great attribute of The Planet in a Pickle Jar is the fantasy and visual richness of the illustrations. The sonorous colours and beautiful decorative quality are captivating.
Martin Stanev
The Planet in a Pickle Jar
Illustrator: Martin Stanev
Orange books
32 pages
230 x 270, hardback
3+
ISBN 978-619-171-127-7
The Planet in a Pickle Jar
Martin Stanev
Martin Stanev lives and works in Great Britain. He is an artist and author of children’s books. He was born in Bulgaria but moved to England, where he graduated from Falmouth University in 2019, with a degree in illustration. His debut book The Planet in a Pickle Jar was chosen as the best children’s book by The Guardian and has been translated into ten languages. The artist combines various traditional techniques on paper, but also paints with digital tools. He seeks inspiration from classic children’s books, vintage objects from different historical periods, nature, and childhood nostalgia. Stanev lives in the Lake District, Northern England, where the landscape brings back memories of his childhood.