The winning picture book of the 2nd International
Compostela Prize is a micro-tale full of literary value,
which will transport readers to the fantastic world of
Mayan mythology and astronomy. Mexican author
Felipe Ugalde tells the story of a crocodile who wants
to leave his mark on time and space, far beyond its
own existence in the world. The crocodile is a
metaphor of the human condition, eager to grow and
leave behind some trace of his presence. Just like the
crocodile, some people are convinced they are
destined to do great things, despite not knowing
exactly what they are and 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 Milky Way is its association with the ‘Way of St.
James’, which pilgrims used to guide themselves as
they walked 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 how it deals with 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.