
The Girl Who Became a Tree: A Story Told in Poems (Hardback)
Joseph Coelho (author), Kate Milner (illustrator)Published: 27/08/2020

Universally acclaimed and richly imaginative, Coelho's 'story in poems' interweaves the ancient myth of Daphne with a nuanced study of grief and isolation to absolutely stunning effect.
Shortlisted for the The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2021
Longlisted for the The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2021
Daphne is unbearably sad and adrift. She feels the painful loss of her father acutely and seeks solace both in the security of her local library and the escape her phone screen provides by blocking out the world around her.
As Daphne tries to make sense of what has happened she recalls memories of shared times and stories past, and in facing the darkness she finds a way back from the tangle of fear and confusion, to feel connected once more with her friends and family.
The Girl Who Became a Tree sees Joseph Coelho deploy a wide variety of poetic forms with consummate skill in its narration of events. He seamlessly but searingly weaves together the ancient legend of Daphne, who was turned into a tree to avoid the attentions of the god Apollo, and a totally modern tale, mixing real-life and fantasy, in which a latter-day Daphne seeks her own freedom.
This a heart-stoppingly imaginative story told in poems, at times bleak and even tragic, which is layered, rich and ultimately a tour de force of poetic skill and energy.
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781913074784
Number of pages: 176
Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Heart-breaking, powerful, totally involving...a tour de force...full of energy and a rich palette of language. Evocative and powerful illustrations from one of our most innovative illustrators.' - Tricia Adams, Love Reading
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