The New Girl

A child starts a new school in a strange new town. The children in her class are hostile towards her and unhappy about the stranger in their midst, refusing to include her. The girl’ s response is to create something beautiful that transforms their attitude towards her and their vision of themselves and their own lives in this inspiring story.

Nicola Davies is an award-winning author whose many books for children include The Promise (Green Earth Book Award 2015, Greenaway Shortlist 2015), Tiny (AAAS Subaru Prize 2015), A First Book of Nature, Whale Boy (Blue Peter Award Shortlist 2014), and the Heroes of the Wild Series (Portsmouth Book Prize 2014). She graduated in zoology, studied whales and bats and then worked for the BBC Natural History Unit. Underlying all Nicola’ s writing is the belief that a relationship with nature is essential to every human being, and that now, more than ever, we need to renew that relationship. Cathy Fisher grew up with eight brothers and sisters, playing in the fields overlooking Bath. She has been a teacher and practising artist all her life, living and working in the Seychelles and Australia for many years. Art is Cathy’ s first language. As a child she scribbled on the walls of her bedroom and ever since has felt a sense of urgency to paint and draw stories and feelings which she believes need to be heard and expressed. Cathy’ s collaborations with Nicola Davies include the picture books Perfect and The Pond as well as the Country Tales series of illustrated short stories.