Leaf-light

This beautiful graphic novel is a stand-alone companion to Landing with Wings by CBCA award-winning author Trace Balla.

Join Miri on her quest to help a rescued baby emu find its feet in the world, and as she connects to her community in joyful and unexpected ways. From the multi-award-winning creator of Rivertime and Rockhopping comes a beautiful ode to working together to make the world a better place.

Join Miri in her special spot, high up among the dappled leaf-light, and below with her neighbour Wingo, two joeys, a wombat and a baby emu!

A story about friendship, taking down barriers and creating community, finding your own path in the world and inspiring others along the way - from one of Australia's most unique creative talents.

Praise for Landing with Wings

'Another lovely adventure from Trace Balla. Rich in country and family, deep in care for the future.' Bruce Pascoe

'A beautiful book about being connected to the world at ground level. I feel like I've made a new friend through Trace's exquisitely accessible drawings and gentle prose.' Alison Lester

'Reminiscent of Alison Lester and Roland Harvey, Landing with Wings is a story about moving slowly, looking carefully and remaining curious, and it is a book that leads by example. In her loving portrait of community life in Dja Dja Wurrung Country, Balla achieves something like contemporary visual bush poetry. It is spellbinding.' Books+Publishing

About the Author

Trace Balla is a well-loved Australian children's book author, illustrator and writer of song lyrics who lives on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. She has won the CBCA Book of the Year Award, the Readings Children's Book Prize, the Wilderness Society's Environment Award for Children's Literature, a Comic Arts Awards of Australia Bronze Ledger, and an Honour Award for the inaugural SCBWI Australian Picture Book Illustrator Awards. She has also been shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards (twice), Adelaide Festival Awards for Children's Literature, and ALIA Graphic's Notable Australian Graphic Novel Award.

Trace's stories explore themes of connection to Country and community, nature, friendship, gratitude, grief and human rights. She also loves to inspire others, of all ages and from all walks of life, through her talks and workshops, which explore creativity and caring for the planet. Trace does freelance illustration work, from logos to murals, and has a bookshelf ever filling with her nature journals and other reflections. Find out more about her at traceballa.com.