The Barnabus Project

Terry and Eric Fan are rising stars in the world of Literature for Children. The Fan Brothers won acclaim for their debut 2016 picture book, The Night Gardener, ( www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol24/no1/thenightgardener.html ) and have succeeded again and again with each book that has followed, including their illustrations for Beth Ferry’s 2019 book, The Scarecrow. ( www.cmreviews.ca/node/1082 ) The latest offering, The Barnabus Project, is the Fans’ sixth picture book, and, again, it is a gem. This time, however, The Fan Brothers (as Terry and Eric are professionally known) have collaborated with another brother, Devin Fan. The Barnabus Project is Devin Fan’s first book, and he makes a sparkling debut.

Devin is the youngest of the Fan boys. Unlike his brothers, he is not a full-time artist. Rather, he works for the City of Toronto as a Youth Recreation Programmer. The Fan brothers now live in Toronto. With a musician stepbrother, one independent filmmaker sister, and another sister who is an artist and singer, the proclivity for creativity runs throughout the family.

In The Barnabus Project, Barnabus is half mouse-half elephant. He is the product of a failed laboratory experiment to create a perfect pet. Along with other failed pet creations, he lives in a secret lab far beneath the surface of the “Perfect Pets” store where genetically engineered creations are available for purchase. In his small glass jar, Barnabus is sustained with his favourite foods, cheese and peanuts. Yet, when Pip the cockroach tells Barnabus and the other failed experiments of a world outside the laboratory, a world with silver lakes, green trees, and mountains that reach to the stars, Barnabus realises that merely being sustained is insufficient. Indeed, things become even bleaker when he and his companions learn they are to be recycled. In desperation, Barnabus breaks free from his confines and then, working together, the failed pet experiments attempt a daring escape.

Throughout the book, the delightful illustrations are colourful and detailed. They were created in graphite and were then digitally coloured. The written text and artwork reflect the abundance of creative imagination one has come to expect from the Fan Brothers. This creativity seems only to have been enhanced by the addition of Devin Fan to the team. One of the strengths of the artwork in the Fan Brothers’ books is their attention to detail. In this case, an early illustration depicts a busy street scene. The next double-page spread focusses primarily on the secret underground tunnel system and the laboratories where the pet experiments are conducted. At the top of this illustration, the street scene is shown but, depicting action from a few moments later, many of the street residents have taken several steps one way or the other. A man carrying a guitar case has walked from left of scene in the first illustration to the far right in the second. A man wearing a turban has moved a similar distance in the opposite direction. A black cat has moved from the barbershop step towards the music shop. A woman reading a book in front of the bakery has been approached by a child. Such attention to detail might not change the story at all, but it adds greatly to the interest and appeal of the illustrations.

The book is so well-executed that the reader feels saddened by the glum prospects that lay ahead for Barnabus in the lab. The reader cheers for him as he attempts his escape. Barnabus is an entirely fictional character, yet one feels attached to him and concerned for his welfare. Young children will delight in the colourful illustrations while older readers will admire Barnabus for his courage and virtue. The Barnabus Project is a book with wide appeal. It is sure to be a hit.