From the multi-award-winning author of The Red Shoe comes a haunting story about a boy who can't - or won't - speak about his past in war-torn Europe, and his friendship with a young Australian girl.
A boy stood in the playground under the big fig tree. 'He can't speak English,' the children whispered.
Sydney, 1942. The war is coming to Australia - not only with the threat of bombardment, but also the arrival of refugees from Europe. Dreamy Columba's world is growing larger.
She is drawn to Ellery, the little boy from far away, and, together with her highly practical best friend Hilda, the three children embark on an adventure through the harbour-side streets - a journey of discovery and terror, in pursuit of the mysterious blue cat...
'Bright and strange, full of dread and mystery and beauty' Sonya Hartnett
Ages: 10-14
Staff Review
This beautifully packaged book introduces characters that are instantly relatable for young readers while looking back to the time of the Second World War - an unrecognisable Sydney, isolated and under real threat from abroad. An intelligent and accessible read, complimented by historical text and photography that grows the world of this short novel without making the read any heavier than is perfectly necessary. I enjoyed this so much more than some of the wartime stories I read in school.
Share This Book: