Øyvind Torseter I

I found a wonderful book by an illustrator I hadn't found before, it is Norwegian illustrator Øyvind Torseter. My version is in French 'Perché Il Cane Ha Il Naso Bagnato?' written by Scottish poet Kenneth Steven; 'Why dogs have wet noses' is a new interpretation of Noah and it is wonderful!

Øyvind Torseter has a unique style which uses singular blocks of colour to enhance and create the environment or characters used in conjunction with detailed line drawing.

'They sailed away. Land had long since vanished. Only sea and sky remained. The rain fell heavier and heavier, and lightning shot from the black clouds, gleaming like snakes’ tongues. But apart from the crashing sounds of rain and thunder, it was completely quiet. As though there were no other sounds left in the whole wide world.'

Poor Noah struggles to satisfy the needs and wants of the animal, whom he tends day and night, and then disaster strikes as the ark springs a leak.

Noah is at a loss as to what to do . . . until he sees the soft round nose of his dog, and it is in this way that he plugs the hole.

Whilst all the other animals party and relax the poor dog is left with his nose in water blocking the hole.

Until there is a crash

They have struck land and everyone emerges from the ark.

Except the poor dog with his nose stuck in the hole.

at last Noah remembers and runs back.

'Noah gently stroked his dog’s tummy.“Good boy,” he whispered.“Woof!” the dog replied, leaping up to give his master a kiss with his wet nose.Never again would Noah’s dog have to go to sea. But from then on, every dog in the world would have a wet nose.'