Kailash

Written by Quek Sue Yian  | Illustrated by Khairul Azmir Shoib
hardcover

Once, the savannah was a land of plenty. The rivers run broad and swift, waterholes overflowed with fresh, clean water and the grass grew juicy and green. The Okapi and the Zebra lived together in peace and harmony. One day, there rose a new Okapi leader called Strap. He declared war on all Zebra and so they fought. In those terrible times, a little zebra was born. His name was Kailash, meaning mountain. 

This is the story of Kailash and how he survived in a foreign land. 

In this fable-like story, author Quek Sue Yian addresses the arbitrariness of war as well as the prejudice and harsh treatment that refugess often face. 

The energetic mixed-media illustrations by Khairul Azmir Shoib adds a gothic touch to the book by portraying scenes and characters in dark colours and distorted shapes. They skillfully capture the young refugee's fear and feeling of isolation.

Kailash was honoured with a White Raven selection in 2014.