Saving the Butterfly Synopsis
A little brother and his big sister try their best to settle in a new home, where they have nothing left from before except each other.
The little one makes new friends and quickly learns to laugh again but his sister remains haunted by the shadows of their past and hides away in their broken house. Trying to help his sister, the little one catches a butterfly for her and brings it inside the house.
His sister knows that she needs to set the butterfly free ... but that would mean going outside. In taking the first steps to face her fears and save the butterfly, she also begins the process of saving herself.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781406397666 |
| Publication date: |
6th July 2023 |
| Author: |
Helen Cooper |
| Illustrator: |
Gill Smith |
| Publisher: |
Walker Books Ltd |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
32 pages |
| Suitable For: |
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| Other Genres: |
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Helen Cooper Press Reviews
Gill Smith's illustrations for Saving the Butterfly (Walker) by Helen Cooper also lean towards muted grey shades as we see a boy and his older sister, two refugees, rescued from a boat. The boy settles, makes friends, but the girl is haunted by the past and can't move on until the day her brother brings her a butterfly. As the insect and the girl begin to flourish, the illustrations become as rich and colourful as the butterfly's wings. A tender tale focusing on the aftermath of conflict, it's a great companion to Nicola Davies's The Day War Came (2019). - Observer
with illustrations that find sweetness in sadness, this touching picture book is the resonant story of refugee siblings who have lost everything but each other - The Sunday Times
This is the most beautiful story of loss, fear and hope, tied together with the healing power of nature. - Juno
The lyrical text is complemented by Gill Smith's emotive illustrations. [...] A gentle story that can be read with children in KS1 to talk about refugee experience and, more generally about the balance between taking time to heal and finding the courage to overcome difficulties. - Just Imagine
Featured in The Bookseller children's previews for July 2023 - The Bookseller
About Helen Cooper
Helen Cooper’s childhood was spent in Cumbria, but she now lives in Oxford with her husband, Ted Dewan and young daughter. As well as being a highly talented artist, Helen is also a keen musician who studied music at college and worked as a music teacher before writing and illustrating full time.
She has illustrated over fourteen books and her work has been translated into fifteen languages. Helen is the first ever author/illustrator to have won the Kate Greenaway Medal with two consecutive books.
More About Helen Cooper
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