Ilnur Albatross

The Albatross boy Ilnur has been waiting for ages for his parents to come back from their outing and feed him. But the moment they return, they tell him that he is old enough to take care of himself now, to spread his wings and fly off. There’s just one problem: Ilnur cannot fly, and he doesn’t really want to, either. But growing up also means doing things you don’t want to, and so he takes a running start - and, after some initial difficulties, actually takes off! Flying is amazing, the sea spreads below him, and he encounters creatures he has never even heard of before on his adventurous travels: wise turtles, chatty whales, nasty seagulls and mean fish. All this is rather entertaining, but also upsetting, for they all tell Ilnur that the sea is sick, that their stomachs are filled with plastic and that he should be afraid of humans because they ruthlessly destroy the animals’ habitats. At the same time, they are the only ones who can bring about real change - if the animals can convince them.

In this vibrantly imaginative tale, Katharina Cromme lets the inhabitants of sea and air have their say, and they tell stories of massive changes brought about by man and climate change. Thus, for the young sea bird these adventurous travels are more than just a journey into adulthood; they also lead him to realise that it is high time to warn the humans and tell them that their actions present a grave danger to wonderful diversity of the underwater world.