Leaf

A beautiful paperback release from one of Australia's favourite illustrators. CBCA Honour Book 2009.

A funny, offbeat and touching story about a boy who hates having his hair combed discovers an extraordinary side-effect of messy, matted hair when a seed falls on his head and begins to grow.

About the Author

Stephen Michael King’s first picture book, The Man Who Loved Boxes, skyrocketed to popularity, winning the Family Award for Children’s Books in 1996. It was also short-listed in the Crichton Award for Children’s Book Illustration and has been sold around the world.

The Christmas 1996 bestseller, Beetle Soup, a collection of Australian poems and stories for children, illustrated by Stephen, was short-listed for the 1997 Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award.

Stephen describes drawing as something that he simply can’t live without! ‘As far back as I remember I loved to draw. All I needed was a stick and a nice patch of dirt and I was happy for hours. When I was ten years old I became partially deaf and experienced difficulty communicating with people. Drawing and dreaming became my escape …

‘I work from a small studio in my backyard surrounded by my growing forest of trees. Our house is in a tiny township near the Hawkesbury River in Sydney and we are surrounded by national park. My favourite pastime is sitting on my front step and dreaming of the veranda I will build one day.

‘I work mainly with watercolours and ink, although I do occasionally use coloured pencils. I work fast so my ideas stay fresh and my brush and linework fluid.’