Publisher's synopsis
‘Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul’—Emily Dickinson
This is a story about hope, kindness and redemption set in a grey dystopian world. When a great feather drifts from the leaden sky, two children recognise its extraordinariness and take it to the village for its protection. The villagers, however, want to encase it, upon which the feather loses its radiance. The children take it home and care for it through the night. In the morning it is again radiant, and when they set it free it leaves behind the first signs of blue sky and colour. The ambiguous ending invites multiple interpretations about the effects of selflessness and kindness.
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Margaret Wild is one of Australia’s most highly respected picture-book creators whose award-winning children’s books are loved by children all over the world. Margaret has published over seventy picture books for young children and she has been the recipient of the Nan Chauncy Award and the Lady Cutler Award for her contributions to Australian children’s literature. Her books are published around the world and have won numerous awards.
Photo courtesy of Allen & Unwin
Freya Blackwood was born in 1975 in Edinburgh, Scotland and grew up in Orange in NSW, Australia. Before she became a children’s book illustrator, she worked as a special effects artist, notably working on The Lord of the Rings trilogy from 2001 to 2003.
She began illustrating children’s book in 2002. Her stunning and iconic illustrations perfectly capture the warmth and complexity of growing up. While warm and classic, her style has a unique quality that renders her work instantly recognisable. Her work has captured international attention and a swag of awards and nominations. These include the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal (2010), which is the UK’s most prestigious award for children’s illustration, and the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award – Early Childhood (2007).
Her most recent books are Maudie and Bear (2010), Harry and Hopper (2009), Her Mother’s Face (2009) and Amy and Louis (2006). Freya lives in Orange, NSW, with her daughter, Ivy.
Visit her website: http://www.freyablackwood.com.au/
