A huge adult vs. a very small child
A work that visually expresses the difference in presence between adults and children
Bologna Illustrator of the Year 2018

In this book, Abtin's father raises his voice and tells his son, "You must receive trophies and wear gold medals around your neck."
What is noteworthy here is the size of Abtin and Abtin's father (and his family).
The father who tells his son, “You have to be a champion,” is incredibly large.
On the other hand, Abtin, who hides the picture he drew behind his back, is smaller than his father's forearm.


In reality, the overwhelming difference in size that is absurd is the difference in the presence of the two people.
Adults think of children as slightly smaller than themselves, but to children, adults are incredibly big.
This work visually shows how a small action or word from an adult can have a huge impact on a child.
Illustrator Reza Dalvand was named Bologna Illustrator of the Year 2018 for his book True Champions.


The only child who is different in the family

All of the Abtin family members are sports champions.
They are all large, athletic, and have black spots above their mouths.
But Abtin is different from his family.
He's small, can't exercise, and has no moles.
Abtin is not unhappy with his appearance being different from his family, but in reality, things may be different.
Children can easily feel left out if they are the only one in their family who is short, not very good at school, or lacks artistic talent.
'Why am I the only one who is different?' It's discouraging.


When you read this book with your child, ask them discreetly, “Have you ever felt lonely because you were different from your family?”
You may hear stories you never expected.
The more a child has characteristics that are different from those of the majority of the family, the more those characteristics should be nurtured as individuality and strengths.
Unlike the Moleski family in this book.


How can we all be happy together?

Like most children, Abtin wants to be the pride of his family.
I also hope that my whole family will be happy.
To do that, do you have to become a sports champion with gold medals dangling from your neck?

Luckily, Abtin knows what he's good at.
In that way, you make everyone in your household happy and feel proud of what you have done.
So, would Abtin's father be proud of him? This is why you shouldn't miss the final scene of this book.


In the final scene, the expressions on the faces of the people in the frame and those on the face of Abtin's father are in stark contrast.
The faces of the people in the frame are the ideal that Abtin expects, and the face of the father outside the frame is the unchanged reality.
Even in our reality, children want to focus on what they are good at and live their own lives, but parents have a hard time accepting that.
That's why children and adults may react differently to the final scene.
Some might find it refreshing, while others might find their feet tingling. This is why children and adults should read this book together.
Who is the “true champion”?