Edith: The Girl Who Was 100 Years Old (Catharina Valckx, trans Antony Shugaar, Gecko)

In Edith: The Girl Who Was 100 Years Old, French author and illustrator Catharina Valckx tells the bittersweet story of a little girl granted 2 extraordinary gifts, in an English translation by Antony Shugaar. As a newborn, Edith is visited by 2 fairies who bestowed upon her the gifts of eternal childhood and the ability to bring any object to life. She stopped growing at age 10, and a century later she is still a child, exceedingly sad and lonely. Her parents have long since died, and she has never been able to keep friends – except for a wise dog named Bolster and a talking lemon called Squirt. Edith is determined to change her fate and sets out to find the old fairy who cast the non-ageing spell so it can be reversed. The book touches on themes including well-meaning but misguided parenting, the mixed emotions of growing up, and the importance of friendship and community for a good life. While Valckx doesn’t delve into these ideas too laboriously, giving younger readers a chance to engage, she does offer older or more advanced readers a chance to think about these issues. Valckx’s warm, whimsical illustrations give the book a classic fairytale feel, bringing humour and heart to Edith’s world. Edith is perfect for readers aged 6 to 10 as a read-aloud book or for independent reading, especially for those making the transition from picture books to chapter books.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Sophie Pusz has previously worked in independent bookshops in Melbourne and Sydney, and for several trade and academic publishers. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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