In an era when online reading was more colorful, the publication of this book was a real surprise.
Written by Shi Yanxue and illustrator Wang Lixin, the architects rekindled the innocence that had been shelved for a long time and constructed an animal world, Bear Town, featuring a pair of bear fathers and sons named Badun and Freddie. As the story continues to be enriched, the ecology of Bear Town is also gradually diverse, in "The Story of Bear Town: Ice Hockey! ice hockey! In the book, the bear town animals met the passionate sport of ice hockey by chance before the Winter Olympics, so the bear father and son and the animals of bear town learned to play ice hockey from scratch, and after curiosity, expectation, participation, fiasco, and progress, they finally defeated the ice hockey team and achieved a grassroots counterattack.
Bear Town Story: Hockey! ice hockey! Shi Yanxue, Wen Wang Lixin, China Pictorial Publishing House
Everyone has a bear town in their hearts
When I got the book, I was first attracted by the sparkling ice effect of the laser cover, coupled with the vivid combination of nine-square hockey sports illustrations, which perfectly fit the book's ice hockey theme.
Opening the hardcover cover, the text on the title page is straight to people's hearts, simple and full of emotion, "dedicated to the city we were born, raised and loved- Beijing, the venue of the 2022 Winter Olympics." This is not only the people living in Beijing, but also the most simple feeling in the hearts of every Chinese. The love of the country and the good life makes Bear Town's Story: Hockey! ice hockey! " came into being. Not only the author, in fact, everyone has their own bear town in their hearts.
Bear Town Story: Hockey! ice hockey! What attracted me the most was the large number of illustrations in the book, dozens of protagonists, from wild boars, tigers, wolves to antelopes, squirrels and other animals large and small, all have their own clear and solid anthropomorphic image, which shows the gradual enrichment of the ecological construction of Bear Town. Different from the current popular concept computer cartoons, this style of calligraphy and painting is based on clumsy line drawings, from expressions to actions, from costumes to props, meticulous, delicate and detailed, the animal's posture and the details of ice hockey sports are perfectly combined, and even at the end of the book, there is a graphic introduction of ice hockey equipment, which gives the ice hockey blind a warm popularization.
At the moment of high-speed mass production in the Internet era, many people are accustomed to the stylized style of Japanese and Korean comics, and the picture is gorgeous but always feels that there is no soul. When I saw the sometimes cute, sometimes naughty and cunning animal figures in Bear Town, I had to be surprised by such a deep and solid creation, so that readers felt that this was our own illustrated storybook, full of dry goods.
The simplicity of animals corresponds to the anxiety of humans
In addition to the illustrations, the design of the story in this book is also extremely interesting.
First of all, the bear town where the bear father and son are located is a paradise for animals, a harmonious animal world, although the animal species are different, there is no cruel wild animal food chain rule, and it is a harmonious big family. This is also the ultimate vision of human unity in the minds of the two architects. They use the virtual world of Bear Town and the cute animals that live in it as a carrier to tell things in real society in a relaxed way.
Bear father and son Badton and Freddie, with the animals of Bear Town, learn to play hockey, they start from scratch, they are ridiculed and beaten by their opponents, but they are more and more courageous, constantly overcoming difficulties, like our hard-working and brave masses. During this period, there is the struggle for the interests of the rules, and there is the negotiation and compromise with the participating teams, and it is in such stories that the team spirit and fighting spirit required by the sport are reflected. Finally, the residents of Bear Town, who live in the temperate zone, have gone through hardships, defeated a strong opponent in the competition, won the championship, and won the opportunity to go to Beijing to watch the Winter Olympics because of the warm dialogue between the bear father and son and the simple and happy attitude of the bear town animals to life and nature.
The book cleverly incorporates knowledge of ice hockey into an interesting story, and in the description of animal gags and training games, the reader learns about the sport of ice hockey, which is full of speed and passion. From the order of equipment wear, the choice of clubs to the rules on the field, the author tells the story, unconsciously, I believe you and I will have the urge to watch the 2022 Winter Olympics ice hockey game, I think this is also one of the author's purposes.
Their in-depth knowledge of the sport of ice hockey is the basis for their ability to create this book, Shi Yanxue participates in the activities of the ice hockey club in his spare time, is a direct participant in the sport of ice hockey, and has the most direct experience of the venue, training, and competition. The curiosity and trepidation of beginners, the excitement after going on the ice, the joy of mastering new movements, they are all so familiar, and it is not surprising that all the animals playing hockey in this book are so vivid and interesting.
Bear Town Story: Hockey! ice hockey! It is also the first illustrated storybook about ice hockey in China. With animal stories, it reflects the problems in reality, the simplicity of bear town corresponds to the complexity of society, and the simplicity of animals corresponds to human anxiety.
The binding of the book also fully reflects this principle, with an ice blue starting page between chapters, a blue bear paw print for the page number, and a lively inter-page guide line, which reflects the intention of the binding design everywhere.
A deeper understanding of sports
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is about to be held, as the author wrote in the afterword, "While looking forward to the grand occasion of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, we have an impulse to show the love of ordinary people around us for ice and snow sports and the love of life through the virtual world of "The Story of Bear Town". ”
The "Principles of Olympism" clause in the Olympic Charter contains the following passage: "Everyone shall enjoy the possibility of playing sport without discrimination of any kind and embody the Olympic spirit of mutual understanding, friendship, solidarity and fair competition." ”
As the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics approach, ice and snow sports continue to heat up, and people are actively participating in it.
Just like the animals in Bear Town, there is no barrier because of the habits of the species, but because of the ice hockey, respect for the rules, friendliness and fairness, and constantly challenge to achieve their dreams, demonstrating the sportsmanship of friendship and unity, peace and fairness, love and respect advocated by the Olympic Games. What animals give Bear Town is a profound understanding of sports.
Bear Town Story: Hockey! ice hockey! " is a book dedicated to people who love life but are busy and anxious, it uses people's love for a better life to build a small bridge between ideals and reality, so that love and reality can be integrated, so that kind and loving people can smile while reading this book.
This winter is destined to be extraordinary, not only because of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games, but also because of the enthusiasm in your heart and my heart, let us step out of the warm room, walk into the ice and snow field, join the ranks of 300 million people on the ice, and exercise their physique and spirit. For the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, let's bring "The Story of Bear Town: Ice Hockey!" ice hockey! ", go cheer for the Chinese team!