The 2015 book „Gelber Hund, grüne Katze“ (“Yellow Dog, Green Cat“) is clearly a work of love by author Yvonne Kuschel, who wrote, illustrated and designed it herself. Kuschel, currently a Leipzig resident and member of the e.o.plauen Foundation, is an eclectic author: Her richly illustrated books have dealt with the wonders of the bosom (Busenwunder – intime Geschichten rund um die schönsten Kurven der Welt, 2014); the relationship between tragic lovers (Der himmlische Heinrich – Eine perfekte Liebeserklärung, 2013); and uneven resource distribution on the planet (the award-winning Beschissatlas, 2012).
Kuschel’s latest manages to produce quite a nuanced and creatively illustrated fable; it’s attractive for adults as well as children, refreshingly lacking a canned, black-and-white moral lesson and instead gently offering up many insights. It can be interpreted as a political work calling for greater acceptance of difference in society as much as a nice children’s book about the importance of being open to new friendships, experiences and even misfortunes in life (which many adults could learn from as well). It is also a good way for those learning German to pick up new vocabulary while using Kuschel’s vivid, quirky drawings as a guide.
In fact, there is quite a gray area involving the book’s colored protagonists, the Yellow Dog and the Green Cat. We learn the basic facts about them pretty quickly, but it is not easy to guess how their relationship will play out. They both live alone, and inside mountains facing each other. The Dog is hyperactive and likes to dig all day long and howl at the moon every night; the Cat meanwhile prefers to sleep all day long in her hammock, and then climb out of her mountain for nighttime escapades. One night they happen to be looking out of their respective mountain dwellings at the same time, and catch a glimpse of each other. While the Green Cat shows only a passing interest in the Dog, the Yellow Dog decides to invest considerable effort in trying to get to know the Cat.
The Yellow Dog tries to reach out to the group of cats the Green Cat hangs out with, but is rejected. The journey the friendly Yellow Dog falls into while trying to befriend the elusive, aloof (but perhaps, deep inside, caring) Green Cat lands him in an unpleasant situation. What the Dog learns from it, and whom he meets unexpectedly, may make all the difference, however. The greatest punishment and reward one finds in this book may both have to do with degrees of acceptance.
Overall a very entertaining read also for its illustrations (how many mice can you count?), and with nice depth; I would just have liked the last two pages to have had more details about the denoument.
Gelber Hund, grüne Katze (2015) is published by kunstanstifter verlag, Mannheim. It can be ordered here. Author of this review is Ana Beatriz Ribeiro, Editor-in-Chief, The Leipzig Glocal.