REM

REM presents a wordless visual narrative through black and white illustrations. The story follows a film director's dream journey as reality and imagination blur together. The illustrations shift between cinematic scenes and surreal dreamscapes in rapid succession. Each page transition creates connections that mirror the fluid logic of dreams. The book experiments with perspective and scale as it explores themes of creativity, consciousness, and the relationship between movies and dreams. The boundary between creator and creation becomes increasingly uncertain as the narrative progresses. The visual storytelling suggests questions about how we perceive reality and construct meaning through both our sleeping and waking experiences. The work operates as both an artistic meditation on filmmaking and an investigation of the dream state itself.

Readers describe REM as a surreal wordless picture book that flows like a dream sequence through black and white drawings. Many compare it to Banyai's other book "Zoom." Liked: - Complex, layered visual storytelling - Rewards multiple readings to catch hidden details - Illustrations prompt imagination and discussion - Appeals to both children and adults Disliked: - Some found it too abstract or confusing - Price high for length (32 pages) - A few noted print quality issues - "Too weird" for younger kids Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (82 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (11 ratings) From reviews: "Like falling into someone else's dream" - Goodreads reviewer "The transitions between scenes make you question what's real" - Amazon reviewer "My 6-year-old was frustrated but my 10-year-old spent hours with it" - Parent reviewer on Amazon Note: Limited reviews available online compared to Banyai's other works.

Tuesday by David Wiesner This wordless picture book follows a surreal journey where frogs levitate, lily pads fly, and reality bends through artistic perspectives.

Zoom by Istvan Banyai Each page pulls back to reveal a wider view of the previous image, creating a sequence that challenges perception and scale.

The Red Book by Barbara Lehman A metafictive visual narrative connects two children across different realities through the discovery of a mysterious book.

Journey by Aaron Becker A girl's red crayon draws doorways into dreamlike worlds where boats, balloons, and magical creatures exist without the need for words.

Mirror by Suzy Lee A girl's reflection comes alive and leads her through a wordless adventure that plays with symmetry and visual space.

🌟 REM is a wordless picture book, telling its story entirely through surreal, dream-like illustrations 🎨 Istvan Banyai, born in Budapest, Hungary, is also known for his iconic illustrations in The New Yorker magazine 📚 The book's title refers to "Rapid Eye Movement" sleep, the phase when most vivid dreams occur 🖌️ Banyai's distinctive visual style combines elements of Art Deco, surrealism, and technical drawing 🏆 The book is part of Banyai's acclaimed "picture book without words" series, which includes the bestseller "Zoom"