This is the Girl
This heartwarming picturebook tells the tale of a girl who sets sail from her fishing village to explore the wonders of the world. In a small boat that is ‘scruffy and scratched, but as strong as can be,’ the girl journeys ‘on the glittering sea, humble and quiet but brave as can be.’ Each night the other villagers watch her return home empty-handed and ask her ‘what did you get?’ But the brave little girl just smiles.
This gentle story told through verse follows the girl’s adventures at sea, where she has ‘nowhere to aim for and nothing to find.’ Instead of returning home with silver and gold, she brings back a much greater treasure: stories. From dancing porpoises to thundering whales, Starling captures a world beyond the waves in a mix of digital and hand-drawn illustrations. The changing moods of the sea are conveyed with the crayon marks of ocean spray to the glass-like surface reflecting a still, starlit night. The refrain, rhythm and rhymes of the text roll like the tide and are enjoyed best when read aloud.
The melodious quality and calming colour palette make this a perfect bedtime story, while also imparting an important message: ‘So, seek out adventure, but leave what you find, carry the memories home in your mind.’
