Publisher's synopsis
A stunning picture book that addresses life’s big journeys with hope, beauty, and reassurance.
A boy must leave his home and find another. He brings with him a teacup full of earth from the place where he grew up, and sets off to sea. Some days, the journey is peaceful, and the skies are cloudless and bright. Some days, storms threaten to overturn his boat. And some days, the smallest amount of hope grows into something glorious. At last, the boy finds land, but it doesn’t feel complete . . . until another traveler joins him, bearing the seed to build a new home.
With lyrical text and gorgeous artwork, this poignant picture book is perfect for discussing all of life’s toughest challenges-a big move, a divorce, long-distance separation, or even the current refugee crisis-in a way that’s reassuring and inspiring for children and adults alike.
Awards
- Winner of the Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature in the NSW Premier’s Literacy Awards
- Finalist in the Queensland Literary Awards
- IBBY Australia’s 2018 Honour Book for Illustration
Rebecca Young grew up in suburban Sydney with two brothers, a swing set and the scent of gardenias. Her days were filled with chalk drawings on driveways, backyard battles, blanket forts, dollhouse drama, journal ramblings… and lots and lots of picture books.
These days Rebecca loves working with words and pictures as both a publisher and an author. Teacup (illustrated by Matt Ottley) won the Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature in the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2016 and has been published internationally. The Speedy Sloth (illustrated by Heath McKenzie) was ALIA’s National Simultaneous Storytime picture book for 2023.
Bio and photo: Scholastic Australia
Matt Ottley is a multi-modal artist working across the fields of visual arts, music and literature. He is an award-winning picture book writer and illustrator, with 25 picture books published. He spent his childhood in Papua New Guinea, and has travelled widely throughout Australia and the world. As a teenager and during his early twenties he worked as a stockman on remote cattle stations in the Australian outback, before studying fine arts and music. He lived for three years in Britain working as an equestrian painter, painting some of Britain’s finest racehorses and polo ponies.
He is now one of Australia’s most popular children’s author/illustrators, and has been published in several different languages around the world. His book and musical work for young adults, Requiem for a Beast was awarded the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Picture Book of the Year in 2008, and the Queensland Premier’s Award for Young Adult Literature in the same year. His picture book, What Faust Saw was an international best seller. Matt has also worked as a professional flamenco and classical guitarist. He is currently working on two large-scale orchestral projects that will also have visual and literature components.
Bio: Penguin Random House
Photo: Tina Wilson, courtesy of Penguin Random House
