The Paper Bridge

Anya lives in a paper village among delicate paper trees and paper houses, and the people who live there are paper-light. Each year, the villagers of Paperlee put stones in their pockets to avoid being blown away by the late-summer winds.

But the windy season is long past when Anya is knocked over by a great gust. What is causing the strange weather? Is it coming from Forestlee, the village on the neighboring mountain?

Determined, Anya has a plan to find out, making a delicate kirigami paper bridge so she can cross the chasm between the two villages. But what will she find on the other side?

Told through stunning, beautifully crafted kirigami scenes, Seng Soun Ratanavanh created a real paper world for debut author Joëlle Veyrenc’s wonderfully imagined story. Readers will be enchanted by constructed three-dimensional houses, folded foliage, and illustrated characters.

The Paper Bridge is a unique, modern fairytale that explores distrust of the unknown and the challenge of living together through climate change.

About the Author

Joëlle Veyrenc is a clinical psychologist, former teacher and children’s writer from France. She is inspired by the imaginary and emotional worlds that children inhabit and enjoys stories that emphasise the importance of sharing and collaboration. Joelle lives with her husband on the outskirts of Paris. The Paper Bridge is her first picture book.

Seng Soun Ratanavanh is a French illustrator and painter who was born in Laos. She graduated from the National School of Fine Arts, Paris and has illustrated several books for children. Seng Soun taught herself the art of kirigami to create the striking blend of 2D and 3D paper illustrations in The Paper Bridge. She lives near Paris with her husband and children.

Katy Lockwood-Holmes studied French and Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh. She works in publishing and lives in Edinburgh, UK.