Amira's Magpie

Description

Amira's Magpie is a story of friendship, family and escape; of bravery and resilience in the face of hardship. It is the story of hope we find in small happinesses, even when it seems like all hope is lost. In the evocative and primarily monochrome illustrations, we see Amira living in some kind of compound. Her beloved grandfather lives a long way away, and as she remembers him, Amira imagines her magpie flying backwards and forwards between them, bringing news of home. In a beautifully lyrical way, this gentle yet powerful story reminds us of asylum seekers and anyone who longs for home. An outstanding book for older picture book readers and for education and awareness in schools.

Kate Gordon grew up in a very booky house, with two librarian parents, in a small town by the sea in Tasmania. She spent her childhood searching for fossils at Fossil Bluff, wondering about the doctor who rode his horse off the cliff at Doctor's Rocks, and eating the best chips in the world at the fish and chip shop at the wharf. She also spent much of her time dreaming about being a writer, and spent many a lunch hour walking around the playground reciting poetry. The other children thought she was a little bit odd. After studying performing arts and realising she was a terrible actor, Kate decided to give in to genetics and study to be a librarian herself. She is the author of six novels for teenagers, as well as the picture book, Bird on a Wire, and the junior fiction series, Juno Jones. She now writes middle grade fiction.