Violet Mackerel's Formal Occasion (Book 8)

Description

Violet Mackerel is happy. She has found a beautiful locket. But she is also sad because Mum has lost her basket of knitted things. Violet wants to make Mum feel happy again. And she may just have the perfect plan: a surprise formal occasion just for Mum!

Anna Branford was born in the Isle of Man and spent her early childhood in Sudan and Papua New Guinea before moving to Australia. Creative writing was her favourite subject at school and she wrote stories in all these different countries. Anna is a doll maker and a sociology lecturer at Victoria University. Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot was her first published work for Walker Books Australia and was Honour book in the Children's Book Council of Australia, Book of the Year Awards, Younger Readers Notable Books for 2011. Sarah Davis grew up in New Zealand, wearing gumboots and falling in rivers. She worked as a secondary school teacher before moving to Sydney. Sarah is a very busy, award-winning artist who has collaborated with Sue Whiting on Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (New Frontier) and Jennifer Poulter Mending Lucille (Lothian), for which Sarah won the 2009 Children's Book Council of Australia's Crichton Award for Best New Illustrator. Most recently, Sarah's title Fearless, written by Colin Thompson, was short-listed for the 2010 Children's Book Council of Australia Awards. Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot was also Honour book in the Children's Book Council of Australia, Book of the Year Awards, Younger Readers Notable Books for 2011.

This perfectly crafted story has thought-provoking themes. Apart from the priceless value of family and friends, it has amazing alternate and almost profound ways of looking at things that get lost by reversing them to think about the finders of lost things. -- Buzz Words * Buzz Words * The sketches paired together with the words are on point. It's a successful partnership between author and artist. -- Bookrapt * Bookrapt * With acts of kindness, friendship, and cupcakes, and in a delightful hardcover format, Violet Mackerel's Formal Occasion is delightful. -- Sally Murphy * Aussie Reviews *