"Big and Small" brings us closer to the life, from childhood to old age, of a curious and creative, free and empowered, sensitive and authentic woman; a fascinating journey from her birth home in the forest to the city, and back to her origins. Art —always inspired by nature— has marked her trajectory and also gives solace to a helpless man who moves into her house when the protagonist has diminished so much that even the neighborhood has forgotten her existence.

The work distinguished with the XVIII Compostela International Prize for Illustrated Albums stands out for its poetic and emotional depth, its evocative power, and its multifaceted nature: life, memory as healing, the passage of time, chosen solitude, nature, home, resilience... Following a chronological thread and with a descriptive tone, Arianna Squilloni's text also addresses the daily lives of elderly people; a literary proposal that, in a bold way, introduces narrative silences where —in the absence of words— the visual narrative is enhanced.

Raquel Catalina's illustrations —with loose and sketched strokes made with pencils and washes— envelop us in a changing atmosphere that goes from the warmth of domestic settings to the freshness of open spaces. They are images of great lyricism and expressiveness, with a restrained use of color that contrasts with the treatment of black and white. In addition to including numerous details and touches of humor, they play with the diversity of approaches, shots, perspectives, and sequenced actions that accentuate the dynamism of the story.