"Mending Lucille" WINS CRICHTON AWARD!Reviews for Dual Nominee for Crichton Award and Family Therapists' Award 2009
Jennifer Poulter has created an achingly beautiful story of love and loss, of breaking apart and putting back together. Sarah Davis has masterfully captured the little girl's sadness, and her use of color skillfully advances the narrative ... In every possible way, this book is breathtaking. "- Pick of the Month starred review in Sydney's Child, Melbourne's Child, Perth's Child, Brisbane's Child and Adelaide's Child magazines.
"J.R. Poulter's warm and gentle text is beautifully illustrated by Sarah Davis. The child's emotions are exquisitely captured throughout, and close-ups of hands are beautifully portrayed. Metaphors for healing run through the story, from the real wounded bird to the torn doll to the mending of hearts - often conveyed by images of sewing. First and last endpapers extend the story - the threatening, overshadowing bird image transformed by loving hands into simple stitches beside a now-mended, smiling Lucille. Recommended." - Magpies Vol.23 No.4 September 2008 p.30
"Mending Lucille is a precious and insightful picture book about one girl's loss of her mother... A picture book with stunning and evocative illustrations, which deals with the theme of grief and loss in a very sensitive way." - Femail Magazine
Best books of 2008"For slightly older pre-schoolers, Mending Lucille (Lothian, $29.99) by JR Poulter and Sarah Davis is an unflinching yet deeply reassuring story about a mother’s [departure] and the father’s eventual remarriage. Simply told, beautifully illustrated, heartbreaking but never mawkish: this had me in tears." The NZ Listener, leading review journal New Zealand.
Children's Choice, Top Ten books of 2008 - New Zealand library district - Mending Lucille one of only three picturebooks chosen.
Recommended book for counselling and biblio-therapy by the Monash Medical Centre's Australian Centre for Grief Education in Victoria.
Recommended book - NSW Premier's Reading Challenge List 2009
Recommended book - Dr John Irvine talks about explaining death to children. Mending Lucille is one of his Top Ten recommended books for helping children deal with the concept of death and grieving.Mending Lucille sold out its first print run in the first week after release.
