Well done to Raglan illustrator Margery Fern and her author sister
Jennifer Somervell whose latest picture book, Old Truck, has won two honourable mentions in the prestigious American
Purple Dragonfly Book Awards.
Actually, luck has nothing to do with it, as Old Truck is a gorgeous book, with a
funny story, a happy ending and fabulous colourful illustrations. All things
kids love.
Old Truck is Margery
(who also goes by the name O’Connell) and Jennifer’s second picture book. Like
their first, The Day Dad Blew Up the Cow
Shed, it tells a true tale of life on the family’s Hawke’s Bay farm. Both
books are part of the 'Tales from the Farm' series that the sisters are producing,
partly because that’s what they love doing, and partly to provide an historical
record for kids about what it was like growing up on a farm in New Zealand in the
seventies.
Future titles planned for the series include the story of a
rather large eel hunt, and a tale about an amorous pig. You can check out Margery
and Jennifer’s work (and find out more about their win) on their Tales from the Farm website.
I think you’ll agree they deserve the award’s recognition.
