The Girl with the Parrot on Her Head

Description

A poetic and original picture book about the value of friendship from a remarkable new author. A beautifully bold and fresh new picture book, this hopeful and endearing story about moving house, making new friends and playing imaginative games is told with simple wit and charm, and offers a touching exploration of feelings. When Simon moves house, Isabel loses her best friend for ever. She is angry and lonely and decides it's better to be by herself. But after a time she faces a new problem that leads her to make a brilliant new friend...

Daisy Hirst is a hugely talented young artist and writer. Daisy studied English and Creative Writing at Warwick University where she composed her own poetry and enjoyed drawing and doodling. Afterwards, Daisy went on to graduate from the Cambridge School of Art MA Course in Illustration. She won the Lara Jones award in the Macmillan Prize for The Runaway Baby. The Girl With the Parrot on Her Head is Daisy's first picture book to be published by Walker Books. Daisy lives in North London. Follow her on twitter @Deenface.

Hirst's beguilingly child-like illustrations give the story an affecting authenticity. -- The Herald The Herald Like the best books by authors such as John Burningham, it presents the reader with a story that works on different levels. A picture book that really does stand out. Daisy Hirst is a picture book creator to watch. -- Kate Kellaway The Observer The Girl with the Parrot on her Head is a hopeful and endearing story about moving house, making new friends and playing imaginative games. -- Parent Talk Parent Talk It is not only a sensitive and engaging picture book but also a very enjoyable story. -- The Good Book Guide The Good Book Guide It is not only a sensitive and engaging picture book but also a very enjoyable story. -- The Good Book Guide The Good Book Guide I could tell straightaway that this was a winner. Both kids - who are starting to age out of picture books and into chapter books - were totally taken with it, thanks in no small part to the enormous energy, movement and narrative drive from the deceptively simple artwork. -- Boing Boing Boing Boing Struggling to cope with her loneliness, more and more of the page is given over to the monochrome jaggedy lines, before colour seeps back in as she finds a new playmate. It might sound like a simple idea, but it's executed beautifully to show us just how lovely the world can be when we have friends to play with. As a jaded adult this might sound unimportant, but to young readers, The Girl With The Parrot On Her Head captures one of the most important aspects of childhood- making (and keeping) good friends. Milo and Alice blog This is a true picture book in that the pictures tell the story. The words are there to guide the reader through, but the author has wisely used them sparingly, though just enough. Wonderful, heartwarming, and wise. Carousel Daisy Hirst has produced a touching depiction of the confusing bewilderment caused when a relationship is lost during childhood [...] I suspect that there are many subtleties yet to be discovered on each page. The School Librarian This is a wonderful book explaining and helping children to understand the changes they go through as children such as moving house and losing and making new friends illustrating how they will cope with their losses. It's beautifully written in a subtle style and a must read for children over 5 years. Toppsta Review