The story of war in Ukraine: Oleksandr Shatokhin's new picture book, Yellow Butterfly

March 28th 2023

About Oleksandr Shatohkin  Oleksandr is an artist and children’s book creator who grew up in Eastern Ukraine, close to the border with Russia. After the start of the war in February 2022, his wife and young son were evacuated to Poland. They have since been reunited and are again living and working in his hometown of Sumy. Yellow Butterfly is his second book to be published for an English-speaking audience. DISCOVER YELLOW BUTTERFLY

Following the outbreak of war between Ukraine and Russia, there are now over 120,000 Ukrainians living in the UK, approximately a third of whom are children. These brave children have left behind their friends, family, toys, pets and favourite places in search of safety, and now teachers are working hard to help them to feel welcome in schools and classrooms.

In his poignant new book, Yellow Butterfly, the Ukrainian artist Oleksandr Shatohkin has captured the devastation of war, and the strength and hope of a nation. The wordless picture book is beautifully illustrated to help children explore the subject of war through visual cues. Great for reading with young children, this book can be used as a tool to break language barriers and allow children with little English-speaking skills to participate in a group activity, building friendships and empathy within a class. 

Exclusive Q&A: Oleksandr Shatohkin 

Why does the book have no words? 

Sometimes, words are superfluous. The story of this book is so telling that I wanted to create a quiet book that would convey this important and terrible story for every Ukrainian with only illustrations and emotional content. It is also a format that will allow those who do not have this terrible experience of war to empathise with what every Ukrainian feels on one hand, and to feel hope and peace, on the other. For me personally, this is an emotional book. 

Can you tell us more about the unusual colour scheme?

The colours, in my opinion, best convey and emphasise the stages and development of the story in the Yellow Butterfly. Black conveys tension and devastation, to illustrate the anxiety, fear and confusion of the book’s protagonist. This simple combination of black and white does not distract from the essence of the story and emphasises the emotions. Where hope for the good and light arises, yellow appears, which is the colour of bright butterflies. Towards the end of the book, there are colours that are dearly beloved by every Ukrainian: blue and yellow. These are the colours of freedom, life, peace and hope.

How did you create the illustrations?

These are completely digital illustrations created with brushes that imitate a pencil with a scratchy texture. I've used minimal tools and techniques to create a harmony between the illustrations and the story itself. 

Are Ukrainian authors and illustrators becoming more visible? 

When the full-scale invasion began, commissions for illustrations were coming, and there were words of support and offers of help from foreign customers and publishing houses. This gave me strength. There was, and still is, an interest in illustrations and posters created by Ukrainian artists like myself that highlight the events of the war. Who other than Ukrainian illustrators can accurately convey the entire spectrum of emotions and attitudes to war? We live in these realities, we are participants in today's news, and thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, friends, and partners of Ukraine, we are able to continue drawing. 

Oleksandr's poignant black-and-white illustrations incorporate colours from the Ukrainian flag to symbolise freedom, life, peace and hope

Why this book makes the perfect class read Maria Nae, former SEN teaching assistant 1) Without the potential language barrier, children can focus on emotional responses, further strengthening emotional understanding and management 2) The message behind this story is inspiring as it encourages children to look for hope even when they feel anxious – something that unfortunately an increasing number of children experience 3) This book is a great learning tool – the back pages are full of ideas for fun lesson plans and incredible, important conversations to have with children. Every school should have it!

Discover Oleksandr Shatokhin's latest release Yellow Butterfly Our expert team was touched by this story, which provides visual metaphors for readers to consider as they travel from the devastating effects of war to a place of hope for peace and the future. They said: "Powerful illustrations portray a complex and demanding topic. It's relevant to a wide age group; with adult guidance this would be a useful tool to spark discussion and further interpretation." DISCOVER

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