Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

Picasso and the Greatest Show on Earth

ebook
3 of 3 copies available
3 of 3 copies available

A sweetly moving story about friendship and finding happiness, for readers who loved Wonder and Lenny's Book of Everything.

Frances is in a new house in a new neighbourhood and going to a new school, but no amount of new can make her forget the old, sad secret dragging at her heart. Not the pictures of bacteria that she draws with painstaking precision, not even Picasso, the puppy with the long soft ears and the cute black circle like a target on his bottom. Then Frances meets Kit, the tall, quiet boy with the two-coloured eyes. Kit is a real artist. His coloured pencils fill page after page of exercise books. He sees wonder in the rocks and ferns and sky. Though Kit has worries of his own.

But when secrets are spilled, Frances's life turns grey and drab. Not even Picasso's wet nose can brighten her up. Frances and Kit will need to face the truth of their pasts to find colour in their world again. After all, don't the most brilliant sunsets need a cloudy sky?

A beautiful novel about finding the remarkable in the ordinary and celebrating the wonder of every day, from the award-winning author of Borrowed Light.

'Marvellous, mind-opening, and deeply moving. The best book yet from this irresistible author.' Morris Gleitzman

'A beautifully written novel that encompasses such big things ... Frances, Kit and Picasso will stay with me for quite a while.' Karen Foxlee

'I loved this book with my whole heart. It's truly beautiful. And a gift to readers, young and old.' Maryam Master

'Push this into the hands of anyone who loved Storm Boy or Lenny's Book of Everything.' Books+Publishing

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Books+Publishing

      May 16, 2023
      Anna Fienberg has had a long and illustrious career in children’s writing, with over 40 books and a swag of awards under her belt. Her latest, Picasso and the Greatest Show on Earth, is a lyrical celebration of art, nature and friendship. Thirteen-year-old Frances has a lot of new things in her life: a new house, a new school and a new puppy, but an old secret to do with the loss of her younger brother plagues her. She channels her anxiety into meticulously drawing viruses and bacteria until she meets a new friend, Kit, and her world opens up. He introduces her to the bushland surrounding their suburb and they bond over art, but Kit is harbouring family secrets and insecurities of his own. Together, they will have to confront the big, scary monsters hiding in their past in order to heal. Richly observed and laden with vocabulary and metaphor that will delight teachers and students alike, Fienberg has crafted a beautifully complex story for readers aged 10 and up. Her subtle observations of people and the environment build to a moving climax that does great justice to these skilfully drawn characters, while continuing to keep the reader guessing along the way. Push this into the hands of anyone who loved Storm Boy or Lenny’s Book of Everything.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading