In The Garden of Hope, Maya, her dad and their dog Pip are a bit of a mess now that Mum has gone.
The house is untidy and the garden is overgrown, but they focus on comforting each other as they deal with the emptiness they feel and the heart-aching reminders of Mum.
When Maya is feeling sad, Dad tells her stories. He tells Maya how her mum used to plant seeds when she was worried.
Inspired by her father's words, Maya begins to clear the weeds from her overgrown garden. She readies the earth and plants seeds, just like Mum would have.
Maya cares for her plants and watches them grow. The garden comes to life around her, bringing hope and love and happiness to her world.
This is a powerful story about losing someone you love and learning how to find hope and happiness through the heartache, but author Isabel Otter handles this delicate issue with extreme care.
Her words provide an important reminder that there is always hope, even when bad things happen — there is light waiting to be found on the other side of the darkness.
Katie Rewse’s illustrations, too, are divine. They are colourful, detailed and engaging — simply stunning and a joy to explore.
The Garden of Hope is a special picture book. It’s an important story for children who may have been impacted by death or loss, but I would recommend it for all children. It shines a light on kindness, empathy and the love of family. It's about resilience and courage and taking that giant leap back into the world after something tears you from it.
Title: The Garden of Hope
Author: Isabel Otter
Illustrator: Katie Rewse
Publisher: Hardie Grant, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 August 2018
Format: Hard cover
ISBN: 9781848577138
For ages: 4 - 8
Type: Picture Book
