In his debut graphic novel, writer and illustrator Kengo Kurimoto has created a lush, sweet meditation on the healing 
power of nature.
Wildful is a mostly wordless graphic novel but for all the lack of dialog, it says a great deal. A young girl, Poppy walks her dog every day and finds, along her urban street, a gateway to a quiet natural area. Among the twittering birds, Poppy and Pepper meet Rob, a boy who shows them the secret world that lies right under our noses.
Although there is virtually no exposition, Kurimoto allows the story to unfold organically, like the buds and flowers Rob shows Poppy. Poppy’s mother is depressed over the recent death of her mother and is unable to leave the sofa. Poppy tells her about her new friend and about the birds and plants they find. Her mother promises to go out with her “some other day.”
The art is rich with close ups and wide shots of birds, trees, plants and the wildlife that inhabits an urban wilderness behind a broken, chain-link gate. Told in sepia washes and stunning ink detail, Poppy watches and listens and eventually draws her mother out of the cocoon of blankets and grief on their couch.
Colorless and nearly wordless are strange choices for a graphic novel but Kurimoto has made a gorgeous, quiet tale for art and nature lovers of all ages, reminiscent of The Secret Garden. Poppy and her mother are Asian and Rob cues white.
Wildful
By Kengo Kurimoto
Anansi Press, 2024
ISBN: 9781773068626
Publisher Age Rating: 9-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11)
Creator Representation: East Asian,
Character Representation: East Asian,
