In 1942, Japan invaded Singapore, and imprisoned 300 people in Changi prison.
The Flower Garden by Claire Saxby is about Mrs Ennis, who set up a Girl Guides group to help children cope and pass the time in the prison camp. It shows us the reality and fears of the people in the camp while also having hope, even in the most adverse conditions.
This is a gentle war story, seen through the eyes of the children affected in the prison. It touches on their fears and how theyre coping, and the things that the adults around them are doing to help keep them safe. It’s an important story to show that everyone has the capacity to be helpful.
This beautiful book sits among the those that are set during war as an exceptional example of how to explain war and prison camps to children who might learn about it early in school or at home.
Reviewed by Ashleigh Meikle
Age Guide 7+
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Claire Saxby writes award-winning fiction, non-fiction and poetry for young people. She writes about history, about nature and more. Her books include Nature Storybooks (Big Red Kangaroo, Emu, Koala, Dingo, Kookaburra, Great White Shark, Tasmanian Devil and Wedge-tailed Eagle) which celebrate Australian wildlife and the places they live. Her historical novel, The Wearing of the Green, explores early colonial Melbourne. Claire lives by the sea and believes our world is a place of many wonders.
Visit Claire Saxby’s website here.
Lucia is an award-winning children’s book illustrator born and bred in Livorno, Italy. She moved to Australia in 2007 and she now lives and works on the beautiful Gold Coast.
Lucia has collaborated with several top Australian and English Publishers and illustrated tirty books, among which the CBCA Honour Book and Prime Minister Award shortlisted Come Down, Cat!, written by award-winning author Sonya Hartnett, CBCA shortlisted Family Forest, and the best-selling series Our Australian Girl.
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