Discover the world of logistics - A 'Wimmelbook'
How do Christmas presents arrive on time? What actually happens in a supermarket warehouse? And what is hidden in a large shipping container? Children have lots of questions – and there is a lot to discover in the world of logistics. Prof. Moritz Petersen, together with fellow campaigners from the German Logistics Association (BVL), has developed a child-friendly hidden object book that takes children on an exciting journey into the world of logistics and supply chains - and perhaps also helps some adults to have aha experiences.
How did you come up with the idea of designing a Wimmelbuch of logistics?
Prof. Petersen: I spent many years looking for a book like this for my own children and realized: It simply doesn't exist. And to be honest, "The Logistics" - hardly anyone knows what that is. For many, it's just: My parcel wasn't delivered smoothly. Or: Trucks are overtaking each other on the two-lane highway. But many people don't realize what logistics involves and what happens behind the scenes. After all, logistics is the backbone of the economy. It was important to us to make all this visible. And of course, if you show this to children, their parents will inevitably see it too.
How did you proceed?
Petersen: Together with Christina Thurner (Loxxess), we took up the topic in the 'Logistics' Image' group at BVL and decided to simply design a book ourselves. Things really took off when DVV Media took the initiative and we started talking directly to publishers. That was about a year ago.
Was it difficult to decide on the motifs?
Prof. Petersen: There were still one or two alternatives that could have been used to complement the current motifs. But the choice was actually quite intuitive, we have the various transport modes with lots to see and of course intralogistics in retail and production. There is no written plot in a hidden object book, but we still tell a story. The story begins in the e-commerce warehouse and ends with an overview of the entire supply chain in the Control Tower.
Wimmelbook: My World of Logistics
Sneek peek into the Wimmelbook. Copyright: Bachem Verlag.
What is your favorite motif?
Prof. Petersen: I wrote the first briefing for the illustrator with the possible large and small graphic elements myself. Heiko Wrusch then started drawing and does a wonderful job, so that over time all the motifs have actually become favorites. I would highlight the double page on e-commerce, especially because it is the beginning of the book and forms a nice bracket with the last double page. Here a teddy bear is packed and goes on its journey to the ordering child. This is the beginning of our story.
And what do your own children say about the Wimmelbuch?
Prof. Petersen: They are almost too old by now and sometimes a little hard to get excited about. It's also not easy for either of them to realize that they started the whole story - without knowing it.
Further information:
- The sponsors of the Wimmelbuch: LOXXESS AG, STILL GmbH, Hapag-Lloyd AG, KRAVAG Versicherung, BEUMER Group, REWE Group, KRONE Trailer and TIMOCOM.
- The Wimmelbook is available to buy at Bachem Verlag.