ABSTRACT
Examining illustrations created as sequels to a popular children’s book, this chapter seeks to extend the concept of adaptation to sequels (which enables extending it to prequels and spin-offs as well). Sequels have been distinguished from adaptations on the grounds that the motivation for their creation is different: While adaptations aim to retell the same story, sequels continue the plot. However, sequels share with adaptations and translations some major features, mainly the combination, or balance, of similarity and change and the possibility of shedding new light on the source text itself. Like translations and adaptations, sequels can be analyzed in terms of “fidelity” to the source text, although this concept is no longer considered a criterion for evaluating their quality. The test case examined in the chapter is a set of illustrations commissioned for a 2014 exhibition titled “Shalom, Balon Adom” (Farewell, Red Balloon), held to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the classic Israeli children’s book Ma’ase be-Khamisha Balonim (A Tale of Five Balloons 1974), written by Miriam Roth and illustrated by Ora Ayal. The illustrators were asked to draw a scene that continues the story in the book, and a selection of their works was displayed in the exhibition.
