Pearl Verses the World

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.