Arabella

by Wendy Orr

Matthew looked at the Arabella. She had tall slim masts and sails set to catch the wind, a polished wooden deck that shone like glass and a painted Lady carved on her bow. She perched on Grandpa's windowsill as if she was ready to fly - a small, perfect ship.Wendy Orr gently tells a story of flight and love - and the relationship between a boy and his grandfather. With superb illustrations by award-winning illustrator Kim Gamble, this is an enchanting story and stunning collaboration as Wendy and Kim explore with loving detail the rarest treasure of all...

Genres: Read For School

32 pages, Hardcover

Published May 1, 2000

About the author

I’m an author, but I could never have started writing books if I hadn’t loved reading them first. Reading isn’t just one of my favourite things to do; it’s one of the most important things in my life. I can’t imagine a world in which I couldn’t read, every day. That’s why I always read to my children every day, just as my parents used to read to me. Stories can be exciting, sad, funny, scary or comforting, but the most amazing thing about them is that they take us into new worlds and teach us something more about ourselves, all at the same time.

Reviews

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how understated the wheelchair is in each scene. It is never directly spoken of, but the representation - in fact, the NOT making the entire story about it - is very powerful. The plot itself was sweet and stirring, though I feel for the poor grandfather who must have been absolutely panicking toward the end. Overall, a lovely little book about broken things and fighting for them.

[Iskra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love surprises and unexpected twists in a book and this one sure provided me with one. I had to go back through the pages and hunt for the clues I had missed. Delightful! The illustrations are beautiful too.

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is delightful, with amazing illustrations. It's also an excellent way for normalising an impairment and send children the message that *spoiler alert* wheelchair or not, we can be heros!

[Tree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a surprising aspect that I won't mention here. But it makes it so much better than it was initially (which was pretty darn good).

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pay close attention to the illustrations; they tell a fuller story than the text indicates.