The text, illustrations and design were conceived and developed simultaneously, as the pace of each word, image and page turn is so important to the emotional arc of the story. It’s a balance of opposites: retrained colours and typography that suggest a world both dull and magical, a layout that communicates a voiceless voice, and a silent passage toward either a devastating tragedy or triumphant release. The format is chosen to appeal to both children and adults. Endpapers are critical narrative components, as are small details such as scannable bar codes that an reader can find embedded in the illustrations