Publisher: | Scholastic Australia |
ISBN: | 9781760663728 |
Awards Year: | 2020 |
Category: | The Picture Book of the Year |
Exquisite illustrations accompany a beautiful, unusual and intriguing story that captures a small girl's identity through her relationship with treasured objects in a noisy home. Tilly, the youngest and quietest in a family of active boys and one other sister, finds her own space and her own pastimes which give her pleasure and security. These objects are hidden beneath the stair into her room and, ultimately, become lost to her forever when the house is carpeted. The language is simple yet evocative, delving into the world of the protagonist. The linework is delicate and captures the overall feeling of quietness and subtle appreciation of the world in which the child lives. Colours are muted but the clutter and movement in the house is captured in scattered objects rather than bright colours. The print text is smaller than usual and gathered tightly in open-ended space which, again, is reflective of the nature of the story. This is a book that would be enjoyed over and over again and each time something new would be found or pondered. The production, text and illustrations are of the highest level.