Eighteen Summers (Penny Harrison, illus Leila Rudge, Little Hare)

Picture book author Penny Harrison is known for her warm and tender tales that celebrate the wildness and freedom of childhood. Her latest book, Eighteen Summers, carries on this theme. Opening with a mother holding her baby, this book tells the story of their precious moments together—building cubby houses and exploring rockpools, gardening and sharing ‘long lazy days where we slip through the hours’. It reminds us that there is a limit to these moments—‘we’ve just eighteen summers to share, you and I’—adding extra poignancy to the story. Award-winning illustrator Leila Rudge’s stunning textured pencil illustrations give the story an added layer of warmth and a sense of imagination and adventure, as the mother is ever-present, ready with steadying hands as her daughter’s independence blooms. Eighteen Summers is a beautifully rendered and bittersweet ode to the unbreakable bond between parent and child. Bound to bring tears to parents’ eyes, it is a must-have book in every family’s library, one to be treasured and shared year after year. This book is a classic in the making, perfect for children aged 2 and up and for fans of Kissed by the Moon and Guess How Much I Love You.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Jacqui Davies is a writer, reviewer and library officer living on the Limestone Coast in South Australia. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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