The New Girl (Hardback)

Nominated for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2022

'A book to remind children of the importance of being kind and inclusive, and to celebrate difference, by the highly prolific and award-winning author.' Wales Arts Review

'This tale reminds children of the importance of being kind and inclusive. It subtly demonstrates that by celebrating difference, new experiences can be enjoyed. While eloquent text presents the perspective of the unfriendly students, the new girl's emotions are accentuated through the thoughtful page layout and delicate watercolour illustrations. This dual narrative enables readers to clearly understand how the cruel behaviour affects the girl's emotions, helping them to develop empathy and compassion.' Book Trust

'An inspiring and beautiful story which I can't wait to use in school.' Sue Wilsher, Reading Zone

'This book deals with what it is like to be an outsider in a school so well that I feel it is ideal to develop empathy with a class...Beautifully painted, perfect prose – a gem of a book.' The Great British Bookworm

Kiku starts a new school in a strange new town. The children in her class are unfriendly towards her and refuse to include her. Kiku helps introduce the other children to the art of paper folding, creating many different kinds of flowers and introducing them to her culture, helping to transform the children's attitude towards her and their vision of themselves and their own lives in this inspiring story.