Look up Aya, and you can reach for the stars

This enchanting volume by an artist couple who are also parents tells a very touching rite of passage story. Jeppe Hein and his wife Silke have teamed up to create a very special kind of picture book. It tells of the multifaceted experiences of the caterpillar Aya and its metamorphosis into a no less multifaceted radiant butterfly. The illustrations bring the story to life: Jeppe Hein's watercolor drawings are congenially and sensitively enhanced by Silke Hein's collages. Areas of color and texture of almost magical depth are created. There is no question that this attractive work is not only just for kids. Images of such sophisticated colorfulness will captivate viewers of all ages and lend wings to their own flights of fancy.

SILKE and JEPPE HEIN (both *1974) have four children together. This first picture book by the artist couple arose from their experiences as a family. At the same time, it is an amalgamation of Jeppe Hein's watercolors and Silke Hein's collages. They live and work in Berlin.