Silent Books: ‘The Story is Yours to Tell’ – An Interview with Tatyana Feeney — Leabhair Bhalbha: ‘Fút Féin an Scéal’: Agallamh le Tatyana Feeney
Wordless picture books are powerful tools for children of all backgrounds — and Tatyana Feeney’s Suas sa Spéir // Height for Hire is a perfect example.
In this interview, Tatyana shares why she chose visual storytelling for her latest bilingual book published by My Irish Books.
This article is bilingual: English and Irish, paragraph by paragraph / Alt dátheangach atá anseo: Béarla agus Gaeilge, mír ar mhír.
Q1: Tatyana, your latest book Suas sa Spéir // Height for Hire is completely wordless. What drew you to this form of storytelling?
A1: What I do as an illustrator is visual storytelling. After working in this field for many years, I’m confident that pictures can convey a story without words. In a wordless book, the illustrations carry the full weight of the narrative. That’s incredibly powerful – especially for children, who often notice details that adults miss. A wordless book allows child readers to tell the story as they move through the pages.
Wordless picture books also foster inclusivity. In Ireland’s multicultural society, these books can be read and enjoyed by children from any language background, encouraging shared experiences and empathy across cultures.
Tatyana Feeney worknig on her wordless picture bookC1: A Tatyana, leabhar ‘balbh’, nó leabhar gan focal ar bith, atá sa leabhar nua leat Suas sa Spéir // Height for Hire. Cad a mheall tú i dtreo an chineáil scéalaíochta seo?
F1: Mar mhaisitheoir, dírím ar an scéalaíocht amhairc. Tar éis blianta fada a bheith ag obair sa réimse seo, táim cinnte gur féidir linn scéal iomlán a chur in iúl gan ach pictiúir a bheith ann. I leabhar balbh, is iad na híomhánna a insíonn an scéal ar fad. Tá sin thar a bheith – go háirithe do pháistí, a thugann faoi deara mionsonraí dá ndéanann daoine fásta neamhaird uaireanta. Tugann leabhar balbh deis do pháistí an scéal a insint as a stuaim féin agus iad ag dul ó leathanach go leathanach.
Agus i saol an lae inniu in Éirinn, áit a bhfuil cultúir éagsúla ag maireachtáil le chéile, tugann leabhair bhalbha deis do dhaoine ó aon chúlra teanga an leabhar céanna a roinnt – agus trí na leabhair sin, taithí agus tuiscint a roinnt lena chéile.
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Q2: Why have a bilingual cover on a wordless picture book?
A2: The bilingual title increases accessibility, which is one of the key strengths of wordless picture books. A title presented in two languages automatically feels more inclusive. As someone living and working in Ireland, it was important to me that both Irish and English were used.
Cover of Suas sa Spéir // Height for Hire, a wordless picture book by Tatyana Feeney.
C2: Cén fáth ar úsáid tú teideal dátheangach ar leabhar balbh?
F2: Ceann de na buntáistí is mó a bhaineann le leabhar balbh ná inrochtaineacht. Má tá an teideal curtha i láthair in dhá theanga, bíonn sé níos cuimsithí go huathoibríoch. Mar dhuine atá i mo chónaí agus ag obair in Éirinn, bhí sé tábhachtach domsa go mbeadh an Ghaeilge agus an Béarla in úsáid sa leabhar.
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Q3: How do you hope children will interact with Suas sa Spéir // Height for Hire?
A3: I hope children will enjoy the story – whether they are reading it with an adult and sharing the experience together, or spending time with the book on their own. Ultimately, I hope that interacting with any silent book gives children both confidence and creative interpretation, making children active storytellers rather than passive readers.
Illustration from the wordless picture book showing a child and a giraffe under a tree
C3: Cén chaoi ar mhaith leat go léifeadh páistí Suas sa Spéir // Height for Hire?
F3: Tá súil agam go mbainfidh páistí taitneamh as an scéal – bíodh siad á léamh le duine fásta, agus an-eispéireas á roinnt lena chéile, nó á léamh ina n-aonar. Ar deireadh thiar, tá súil agam go mbeidh páistí níos neamhspleáiche agus níos muiníní mar léitheoirí tar éis aon leabhar balbh ar bith a léamh.
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Q4: What techniques did you use in making your illustrations?
A4: I primarily used monoprints, with occasional additions of collage, watercolour, and coloured pencils. Every visual detail — from a character’s body language to the direction of wind-blown trees — was chosen to guide the reader through the story. It’s visual pacing without words.
C4: Cén cineál teicnící a d’úsáid tú agus tú ag maisiú an leabhair?
F4: Déanaim mo mhaisiúcháin go príomha mar mhonapriontaí, cé go gcuirim leo in amanna colláis, uiscedhath agus pinn dhaite. Roghnaítear gach mionsonra – ó chlaonadh ceann carachtair go lúbadh crainn sa ghaoth – chun an léitheoir a threorú tríd an scéal. Is rithim amhairc atá ann, gan bheith ag brath ar fhocail.
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Q5: You’ve written and illustrated many books, including Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket and Socks for Mr Wolf, and now this book with My Irish Books. What makes creating a book like this different?
A5: Working on Suas sa Spéir // Height for Hire gave me an incredible sense of freedom, but it also required intense focus. Without text, clarity, timing, and emotional tone must be delivered solely through images. My Irish Books were completely supportive – their belief in visual storytelling and commitment to the Irish-language community made this project especially meaningful.
C5: Tá leabhair scríofa agus maisithe agat cheana féin, ar nós Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket agus Socks for Mr Wolf, agus anois tá tú ag obair le My Irish Books. Cad a bhí difriúil faoin leabhar seo?
F5: Le Suas sa Spéir // Height for Hire, bhí saoirse iontach agam – ach bhí dúshlán romham chomh maith. Gan téacs, tá sé ríthábhachtach go mbeadh rithim, mothúchán agus soiléireacht sna híomhánna. Thug My Irish Books, a chreideann go láidir sa scéalaíocht amhairc, an tacaíocht dom an scéal a chruthú mar a shamhlaigh mé féin é. Tá ceangal láidir acu freisin leis an bpobal Gaeilge, rud a bhí tábhachtach domsa, chun a chinntiú go mbeadh an leabhar á chur chun cinn mar rud éigin don dá theanga.
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Q6: Why do you think wordless books are so important today?
A6: Wordless picture books transcend barriers – language, literacy level, and even neurodiversity. They allow all children to bring their own perspective and cultural background to the reading experience. In a fast-paced world, the slow, reflective nature of wordless books is both rare and valuable.
C6: Cén fáth a bhfuil tábhacht faoi leith ag baint le leabhair bhalbha sa lá atá inniu ann, dar leat?
F6: Sáraíonn leabhair bhalbha teorainneacha – idir teangacha, idir leibhéil litearthachta agus idir éagsúlachtaí néareolaíocha. Tugann siad deis do pháistí a gcúlra féin a thabhairt isteach san eispéireas léitheoireachta, agus am a thógáil le breathnú, machnamh agus léirmhíniú a dhéanamh agus iad ag leanúint an scéil. Is gníomhaíocht mhachnamhach í – rud atá annamh sa lá atá inniu ann, fiú i gcás páistí óga – ach atá fós thar a bheith luachmhar.
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Q7: Any advice for parents or teachers using this book? What visual storytelling techniques are there for Wordless Picture Books?
A7: Ask questions rather than give answers. “What do you think they’re feeling here?” or “Why do you think the giraffe helped?” And let children lead — their version of the story might surprise you. As David Wiesner said, “the story is yours to tell”.
C7: Conas is féidir le daoine fásta cabhrú le páistí, agus iad ag léamh an leabhair seo?
F7: Ceisteanna seachas freagraí: cuir ceisteanna mar “Cad é air a bhfuil siad ag smaoineamh anseo?” nó “Cén fáth ar chabhraigh an sioráf leis?”. Agus lig do na páistí an scéal a threorú – seans go gcuirfidh a leagan den scéal iontas ort. Mar a dúirt David Wiesner: “Fút féin an scéal a bhainfidh tú as leabhar gan focail.”
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#MyIrishBooks #HeightForHire #SuasSaSpéir #Gaeilge #LeabhairBhalbha
