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A moving illustrated verse novel about a girl
dealing with isolation at school, and with her grandma’s illness at
home.
At school, Pearl feels as though she is in a group of one. Her
teacher wants her to write poems that rhyme but Pearl’s poems don’t. At
home, however, Pearl feels safe and loved, but her grandmother is
slowly fading, and so are Mum and Pearl. When her grandmother
eventually passes away, Pearl wants life to go back to the way it was
and refuses to talk at the funeral. But she finds the courage to
deliver a poem for her grandmother that defies her teacher’s idea of
poetry – her poem doesn’t rhyme; it comes from the heart.
- A powerful and moving story about loss, grief and isolation.
- Deals with sensitive issues of dementia from the child’s
perspective.
About The Author
Sally Murphy is a mother, wife, teacher, speaker, website manager,
reviewer, and, of course, author. She was born in Perth and now lives
in Corrigin, in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia. In 2001 she decided
to dedicate herself to her dream of becoming a children’s author and
has now published 28 books. As well as writing for children Sally is
also a children’s book reviewer who runs the review site
www.aussiereviews.com. Her first illustrated verse novel with Walker
Books Australia, Pearl Verses the World (illustrated by Heather Potter)
won the children’s book category for the Indie Book of the Year awards,
2009 ; was awarded Honour Book in the Younger Readers category,
Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards, 2010; and
won the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards, 2010, Best
Book for Language Development, Upper Primary (8-12 years). Toppling
(illustrated by Rhian Nest James) has won the Queensland Premier’s
Literary Awards, Children’s Book - Mary Ryan’s Award, 2010; and been
short-listed for the Speech Pathology Australia, Book of the Year
Awards, Upper Primary category, 2010.
About The Illustrator
Heather Potter is an illustrator based in Melbourne. She has
co-illustrated several books with her husband, Mark Jackson, and their
work has been featured in several exhibitions. Their first Walker Book
together was picture book Not Like Georgie by Scott Hatcher, 2008.
Heather also illustrated the verse novel Pearl Verses the World in 2009
by Sally Murphy, which won the Children’s Book Category for the Indie
Book of the Year Awards and Honour Book, Younger Readers category,
Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards, 2010.
