Pearl Verses the World

Author(s): Sally Murphy

Middle Grade

A moving illustrated verse novel about a girl dealing with isolation at school, and with her grandma's illness at home. At school, Pearl feels as though she is in a group of one. Her teacher wants her to write poems that rhyme but Pearl's poems don't. At home, however, Pearl feels safe and loved, but her grandmother is slowly fading, and so are Mum and Pearl. When her grandmother eventually passes away, Pearl wants life to go back to the way it was and refuses to talk at the funeral. But she finds the courage to deliver a poem for her grandmother that defies her teacher's idea of poetry - her poem doesn't rhyme; it comes from the heart. A powerful and moving story about loss, grief and isolation. Deals with sensitive issues of dementia from the child s perspective.


Product Information

Book of the Year at the 2010 CBCA Awards

Winner of 2010 Australian Family Therapists Book Award for Children's Literature Young Readers/Picture

Winner of Upper Primary 8-12 years 2010 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards

Shortlisted for the 2009 Western Australian Premier's Children’s Books Awards 

Sally Murphy is a mother, wife, teacher, speaker, website manager, reviewer, and, of course, author. She was born in Perth and now lives in Corrigin, in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia. In 2001 she decided to dedicate herself to her dream of becoming a children s author and has now published 28 books. As well as writing for children Sally is also a children s book reviewer who runs the review site www.aussiereviews.com. Her first illustrated verse novel with Walker Books Australia, Pearl Verses the World (illustrated by Heather Potter) won the children s book category for the Indie Book of the Year awards, 2009 ; was awarded Honour Book in the Younger Readers category, Children s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards, 2010; and won the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards, 2010, Best Book for Language Development, Upper Primary (8-12 years). Toppling (illustrated by Rhian Nest James) has won the Queensland Premier s Literary Awards, Children s Book - Mary Ryan's Award, 2010; and been short-listed for the Speech Pathology Australia, Book of the Year Awards, Upper Primary category, 2010. Heather Potter is an illustrator based in Melbourne. She has co-illustrated several books with her husband, Mark Jackson, and their work has been featured in several exhibitions. Their first Walker Book together was picture book Not Like Georgie by Scott Hatcher, 2008. Heather also illustrated the verse novel Pearl Verses the World in 2009 by Sally Murphy, which won the Children s Book Category for the Indie Book of the Year Awards and Honour Book, Younger Readers category, Children s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards, 2010.

General Fields

  • : 9781921150937
  • : Walker Books Australia Pty, Limited
  • : Walker Books Australia
  • : 0.096
  • : August 2008
  • : 130 x 200mm
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Sally Murphy
  • : Paperback
  • : 9-May
  • : Heather Potter
  • : en
  • : 79