What’s the book about?
From award-winning creator Freya Blackwood comes a beautifully tender story about curiosity and the joy of listening.
One day, curious Sadie follows a cat into the tangled vines behind the lonely house at Number 9, Ardent Street.
Deep in the undergrowth, past all the twisted, rusted things, Sadie finds the cat sitting on the lap of a woman, bent with time and weariness.
Sadie has found the Garden of Broken Things.
Buy a copy of The Garden of Broken Things here.
Recommended for:
Ages 3+.
Three reasons to read it:
- This picture book is about young, curious Sadie who follows a cat into an unkempt garden. Through her journey, young readers discover themes of appearances vs reality, embracing the unknown and the power of discovery.
- Freya Blackwood’s distinctive illustrations burst with intricate details and whimsical charm. In this, she uses a combination of negative space, line work and watercolour illustrations. These techniques encourage young readers to focus on the storyline through negative space and become fully immersed in the garden with double-page illustrated spreads.
- It’s a heartwarming tale that celebrates the transformative power of curiosity and the beauty of embracing curiosity. It’s a must-add to your child’s bedtime reading rotation, reminding us all to find the magic in the world around us, even in the most unexpected places – and creatures.
Buy a copy of Kelpie Chaos here.
About the author:
Freya Blackwood is a multi-award-winning illustrator and writer. Her picture books are beloved for her warm and perceptive drawings. Since publishing her first picture book in 2003, Freya has worked with writers such as Libby Gleeson, Margaret Wild, Jan Ormerod, Nick Bland and Danny Parker.
In 2010, Freya won the UK’s most prestigious prize for illustrators, the Kate Greenaway Medal, for her book Harry and Hopper. And in 2015 she did what no other creator has ever done, taking out three CBCA Book of the Year awards in a single year. The Unwilling Twin was shortlisted for Picture Book of the Year in the 2021 CBCA Awards.
Freya lives in Orange, New South Wales, with her daughter, Ivy.
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