Jørn’s Magnificent Imagination
Reviewed By Grasshopper2 October 22, 2022
Author Coral Vass. Illustrated Nicky Johnston.
Distributor: EK Books/Exisle Publishing
ISBN: 9781922539144
Publisher: Exisle Publishing
Release Date: September 2022
Website: https://exislepublishing.com
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The iconic Sydney Opera House has been viewed by people all over the world. It is a famous landmark in Australia and is an eye-catching marvel. Although some of us remember the story of how it was built and the dramas of soaring costs, not many people would know the background of the man who designed this masterpiece. This has been cleverly presented in the format of a children’s hardback picture book, designed to be read and enjoyed by all ages.
The story begins with a very young Jorn Utzon, born in Denmark, who loved to examine and classify ideas from nature. He looked at the swans in the lake, flowers in the meadow and orange peel. He created many structures such as cubby houses, boats, and towers. This was always encouraged by his parents.
As he grew Jorn had many ideas, but later, he had one favourite. He worked on it until he felt it to be perfect. Then he submitted his idea to a competition held in Australia. The judges loved the design, but many people said it would be too hard to build, it would cost too much, and it would take too long. Finally, the Opera House was completed. It had, “Shapes like shells, curves like sails, and arches that looked like orange peel.”
The double page-coloured spreads tell this story in a sensitive manner. We begin to understand who the architect was with such amazing ideas, and how they developed. For those children who dream and doodle and play with shapes, there may one day come to them a splendid idea.
At the end of the book is a timeline showing the important dates in Jorn’s life. This is a “True story about the importance of dreams and the power of imagination.”