AUTHOR: : Pietro Gottuso
PUBLISHER: Kalandraka
GENRE: Children’s Fiction
READER’S NAME: Jennifer Bovell
DATE: June 1, 2021

Desde 1880 was written by Italian author and illustrator Pietro Gottuso. It appears to be his only book to date. This is undoubtedly a book where “less is more” holds true. As a pictorial narrative the book conveys the changes over time that occur in front of a bookstore - a snapshot of a streetscape passing through 140 years. The only words in the book are business signage and other words in the shops to provide context ("Internet Point"). It is the reader’s task to absorb each scene and note the differences, whether subtle (clothing styles) or significant (horse and buggy; TVs in the electronics store displaying the first man on the moon; a Smart car).

As a children's book, this would transfer very well to American audiences; colorful, realistic drawings and a challenge to "spot the difference" is appropriate for children in perhaps any locale. It could in fact be argued that translation is not strictly necessary due to the attention to detail present in the illustrations, but nonetheless it is suitable for translation. With the meticulous illustrations, readers experience the passage of time through a common street scene with the changes in everyday life (could that be an Amazon deliveryman on the final page?), in the context of history and with technological advancements on display. Finally, the book contains two pages with illustrative clues from the two global pandemics experienced since 1880, which is certainly apropos to the times and demonstrates the interconnectedness of humanity, whether on a street in Spain or Main Street USA.