It's the touching story of a young girl who longs to create a garden in her city apartment. With its lovely, delicate drawings and moving themes of renewal, Florette can by enjoyed by child and adult alike.
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North Melbourne Books talks to Anna Walker
North Melbourne Books: When Mae moves to a new home in an apartment block in the city she wants to bring her beloved garden with her. Mae misses the apple-tree birds and the butterflies in the wavy grass, but there is no room for these delights on the city's balconies and roof tops. Then, on a walk through the city with her mother, Mae comes across an apple-tree bird. She follows the bird and is led to what seems to be a leafy forest, but which is in fact a beautiful garden shop called Florette. Mae plants a stalk she finds near the shop and so starts a garden in her apartment. How did the idea for the story come to you?
Anna Walker: In 2015 I was travelling with my family in Europe, when one morning in Paris we came across a window filled with plants. The shop was on the other side of the street across the lanes of traffic. I stopped to look for a moment and then ran to catch up with the kids. It was only a few seconds, but when we returned home I kept thinking about the forest behind glass in the middle of the city. This moment was the beginning of Florette.
NMB Florette is a beautiful story about making gardens in unlikely environments and using your imagination. What message do you hope to convey to readers?
AW: When I travel I sometimes feel a bit anxious about leaving home. To feel more at ease I draw in my visual diary. In Florette I wanted to explore the idea of noticing tiny details in the world around us and using imagination to create a world in which we belong. For me a big part of childhood is the discovery of the tiny creatures in our environment and I hope all children can experience this.
NMB: Your book makes you want to go out and create a magical garden space. Are you a keen gardener yourself?
AW: We have a beautiful garden, mainly due to my clever husband. I enjoy spending time among the plants. In late Autumn I am looking forward to planting daffodil bulbs - they are in the fridge now preparing to be planted!
NMB: The city garden store depicted in Florette is wonderfully green and lush. Did you base it on any places you've been to yourself or visited as a child?
AW: My grandmother used to say that when I was very little I would take her by the hand and pull her out into our garden which apparently was a wild tangle of plants. I would point for her to sit down and then tell her a big story (even though I couldn't speak a clear word)! I don't remember this but the story has become part of who I am. One of my favourite childhood books was The Secret Garden, I felt a connection with the characters and asked my mum for seeds so that I too could have my own 'bit of earth'. Florette in many ways is a celebration of the stories I loved as a child.
NMB: What books are you enjoying reading at the moment?
AW: I just finished reading Wormwood Mire by Judith Rossell which I highly recommend. I had been looking forward to further adventures of Stella ever since reading Withering-By-Sea. Both books are a wonderful mix of adventure and curious intrigue!
I feel a bit guilty that I am not reading an adult book at the moment. . . Instead I have just begun Pax by Sara Pennypacker Illustrated by Jon Klassen. Such superb illustrations.
And speaking of superb illustrations, I am also looking forward to getting my paws on Under The Love Umbrella by Davina Bell, illustrated by Allison Colpoys!
Florette, by Anna Walker. Published by Viking. RRP: $24.99
Anna Walker: In 2015 I was travelling with my family in Europe, when one morning in Paris we came across a window filled with plants. The shop was on the other side of the street across the lanes of traffic. I stopped to look for a moment and then ran to catch up with the kids. It was only a few seconds, but when we returned home I kept thinking about the forest behind glass in the middle of the city. This moment was the beginning of Florette.
NMB Florette is a beautiful story about making gardens in unlikely environments and using your imagination. What message do you hope to convey to readers?
AW: When I travel I sometimes feel a bit anxious about leaving home. To feel more at ease I draw in my visual diary. In Florette I wanted to explore the idea of noticing tiny details in the world around us and using imagination to create a world in which we belong. For me a big part of childhood is the discovery of the tiny creatures in our environment and I hope all children can experience this.
NMB: Your book makes you want to go out and create a magical garden space. Are you a keen gardener yourself?
AW: We have a beautiful garden, mainly due to my clever husband. I enjoy spending time among the plants. In late Autumn I am looking forward to planting daffodil bulbs - they are in the fridge now preparing to be planted!
NMB: The city garden store depicted in Florette is wonderfully green and lush. Did you base it on any places you've been to yourself or visited as a child?
AW: My grandmother used to say that when I was very little I would take her by the hand and pull her out into our garden which apparently was a wild tangle of plants. I would point for her to sit down and then tell her a big story (even though I couldn't speak a clear word)! I don't remember this but the story has become part of who I am. One of my favourite childhood books was The Secret Garden, I felt a connection with the characters and asked my mum for seeds so that I too could have my own 'bit of earth'. Florette in many ways is a celebration of the stories I loved as a child.
NMB: What books are you enjoying reading at the moment?
AW: I just finished reading Wormwood Mire by Judith Rossell which I highly recommend. I had been looking forward to further adventures of Stella ever since reading Withering-By-Sea. Both books are a wonderful mix of adventure and curious intrigue!
I feel a bit guilty that I am not reading an adult book at the moment. . . Instead I have just begun Pax by Sara Pennypacker Illustrated by Jon Klassen. Such superb illustrations.
And speaking of superb illustrations, I am also looking forward to getting my paws on Under The Love Umbrella by Davina Bell, illustrated by Allison Colpoys!
Florette, by Anna Walker. Published by Viking. RRP: $24.99
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