A big dream

The winning picture book of the 2nd International Compostela Prize is a literary gem, a micro-tale which will transport readers back to the fantastic world of Mayan mythology and astronomy. Mexican author Felipe Ugalde tells the story of a crocodile who wants to leave its mark on the universe, far beyond its own meager place in the world. The crocodile is a metaphor of human ambition; it is eager to grow and leave behind some trace of its presence. Just like the crocodile, some people are convinced they are destined to do great things, despite not knowing exactly what those things might be or how to achieve them, and, as a result, they devour everything around them. Mayan astronomers represented the Milky Way as a snake; this vision turned into a canoe in the shape of a crocodile. Connected with the constellation of Orion, this animal symbolized the link between the land and the sky, humans and gods. Another important facet of the constellation is its association with the ‘Way of St. James’, since pilgrims used the Milky Way as a guide during their walk towards Compostela.

Because of this symbolic richness and its perfect use of the acrylic technique, "A Big Dream" won the prize from amongst 280 entries from 22 countries. Felipe Ugalde’s project was considered as “the most complete and balanced”, due to the complementarity between its text and pictures, their metaphorical value and the original treatment of the concept of time. The book was described as “ageless” by the jury, “as it can be read on different levels” by both young and adult readers.