LoveReading4Kids Says
Presented as Emily’s “What’s Going On or As it Happens” memoir assignment, Paul Jennings’ The Lorikeet Tree tells an extraordinarily moving story of loss, and love of the most profound kind.
Beautiful, gripping, and heart-in-your-mouth powerful, it explores the emotional turmoil of a pair of siblings as they struggle to cope with the imminent death of their dad against the majestic backdrop of an Australian forest — a place of dazzling lorikeets, and a very magical tree house.
Fifteen-year-old Emily and her twin brother Alex have already lost their mum in a car accident — which left Alex consumed by superstition — when they receive the devastating news that their dad has a terminal brain tumour. This compels Alex to renovate his treehouse: “When I add a new room it will bring good luck. For everyone. It never fails. Dad will get better. I know it.”
While Dad has always refused to let Alex have a “bird killing feline” (Emily’s words), he now asks Emily to make sure Alex has the kitten he’s been asking for. At the same time, Emily is alone with her misery, responsible for Alex, and torn between finding Ditto the kitten cute and knowing how destructive cats are to the birds of the forest she so loves. But she realises, “I was going to have to learn how to live with Ditto”, just as she’ll have to live with the reality of her dad’s death.
While an injured lorikeet gives Emily something to focus on (she’d found a “little, feathered soulmate”), she knows it will have to be released: “Letting go seemed to be a motif for my life” — and she’s also compelled to put her needs aside for the sake of her brother and dad.
Lucid, engagingly soulful and suffused in love, The Lorikeet Tree is storytelling at its most sublime. Rare is the writer who can handle such heavy subjects with such beauty, sensitivity and readability.
Joanne Owen
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The Lorikeet Tree Synopsis
A moving story of family, love and loss from one of Australia's greatest storytellers.
Emily loves the bush and the native animals on her family's reforested property, particularly the beautiful rainbow lorikeets that nest in one of the tallest trees. But then her father is diagnosed with a terminal illness, and Emily's world enters a tailspin.
Her twin brother, Alex, refuses to accept the truth. His coping mechanism is to build elaborate additions to his treehouse in the superstitious belief that it will avert disaster - leaving Emily to deal with harsh reality on her own.
When Alex secretly adopts a feral kitten, going against everything that's important to Emily, the siblings' emotions reach boiling point - with potentially dangerous consequences for them all.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781910646878 |
| Publication date: |
27th April 2023 |
| Author: |
Paul Jennings |
| Publisher: |
Old Barn Books |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
192 pages |
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Paul Jennings Press Reviews
'This is a beautiful story told in a very unique way. I want to tell you its secrets, but I won't, because discovering them is part of this literary journey and I don't want to spoil it for you. But I will say this isn't a typical start to end book. It won't be exactly what you expect. With rich characters who reveal ALL their flaws, it's the kind of book kids will read and remember forever. Through Emily's internal struggles, you're forced to look inside yourself and consider so many different topics. It asks readers to think about family struggles, having to be an adult when you're still a kid, environmental issues and right verses wrong. Big stuff, and yet the way Jennings delivers this book... it's like he's holding your hand through it all. This will be a more challenging read than some on the middle grade shelf, but it shouldn't be missed. I am forever changed after reading it, and you will be too. And isn't that what we hope for when we open a book?' - Shaye Wardrop KidsBookReview blog
'Arguably Australia's greatest living children's author.' - Australian Book Review
'There is so much to consider in this powerful story. It is not one to rush but to ponder and let sink into your soul.' - Kate Heap, Scope for Imagination blog
'The reader is carried along at a calming & gentle pace. The relationship between Emily & Alex is incredibly well drawn & the sense of place & the wonders of nature are beautifully described.' - Jenny Hawke, Librarian, YLG
'This book is aimed at younger readers and explores really important themes such as family, grief and loss. It is done so well and thoughtfully, all woven into a beautiful story around animals and deforestation... Paul Jennings truly is a masterful storyteller and I will be recommending this book for years to come.' - Sammysreads, Goodreads review
'Absolutely loved this classic Jennings set on a large block of rewilded bush in Australia. Tugs at the heart without being maudlin - brilliant voices and I can hear the birdsong and smell the gum trees.' - Andrea Barlien, AllByMyShelves blog
'Paul Jennings is known for his funny books and creations - Round the Twist, Unreal, Uncanny, Gizmo, and many more that kids have loved since 1985. Yet in The Lorikeet Tree, he has diverged from his stories about the weird and wonderful and created a serious story about overcoming obstacles in a world where everything is unpredictable... Simply told yet filled with heart, The Lorikeet Tree reflects the conflicts of siblings and parents and being part of a family facing tragedy and what that could mean for your future. The Lorikeet Tree also speaks for the environment and a place that cannot speak for itself, that is in conflict with what the characters want or are trying to do. The lyrical feeling of this book captured my imagination and it is one that has a timeless feeling about it - and is one that I hope many people come to enjoy.' - The Book Muse blog
'I may have something in my eye after reading this short, beautiful, simply told story about family, loss and nature. There is real depth to the relationships, particularly the central sibling relationship. A future classic for 11+.' -- Stephen Dilley, Teacher, reviewer, UKLA
'The Lorikeet Tree is simply and beautifully told. The lyrical text has the feel of a Barrington Stoke novel in terms of its quality and accessibility, and there really is no higher praise than that. The story itself doesn't stray away from truth or hard issues, but Jennings approaches the subject matter of sibling trouble, loss and first love sensitively as well as honestly. In particular, Emily's internal struggles prompt us to think about our own family difficulties and values. And at the centre of this moving story is a message about the healing power of nature, one that will be remembered by those KS3 readers that turn to it.' - Nicholas Carter, Just Imagine Book Reviews
'A story brimming with love and hope - The Lorikeet Tree is deeply moving, looking at life and death as well as the wonder of nature.' - Tom G, checkemoutbooks blog
