Publisher blurb Dirt Lane Press: The Paper-flower Girl creates elaborate flowers out of paper, but she has few customers. When the Giant from the Hill brings her to work for him, they soon discover they want very different things. Before long, the Paper-flower Girl is forced to create things she no longer recognises as flowers. When the exasperated Giant throws her from the Hill, the Paper-flower Girl takes with her something belonging to the Giant, incorporates it into her elaborate flowers, and attains greater success than the Giant. This is a story about being prepared for the worst and hoping for the best.
Here is part of the text to show the lyrical language found in this book:
Down there
the plain.
Up there
the hill.
Down there the glades.
Moss and corn.
Dapple and nook.
Down there
the Plain
of Small Surprises. ...
Days and weeks of interlacing,
months of folding, unfurling.
Petals of ivory, petals of rust,
of blood, of blush, of teal.
Filaments of honey and gold.
Tendrils of sage.
In this final text quote look at the word choice - petals in colour like teal and ivory contrasted with the words blood and rust. Is this meant to help us anticipate the cruelty that is coming?
Themes in this book - power, creativity, control, cruelty, good and evil, voice, patience, beauty, and resilience. There is also the idea of the power imbalance - weak and strong and the fragile transient beauty of a paper flower versus the imposing brutal landscape of steel and concrete inhabited by the giant. I would also talk to students about free will and the importance of creative freedom.
There are now so many fabulous picture books which extend our oldest students. Last year in the CBCA Picture Book of the Year category there were two books shortlisted that rewarded close study, re-reading, deep thought and extensive discussion with students. I love both of them, but I do know some Teachers and Teacher-Librarians did not enjoy these as much as I did :
Like the two above, Paper-Flower Girl is also a CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) choice for our prestigious Australian children's book award. In 2024 this book has made the Notable list BUT this time I am not so sure about the balance between exquisite illustrations and a complex text. I have now read Paper-Flower Girl fairly carefully several times. I purchased a copy because the art looked so special, but the story confuses me. The language is lyrical - actually poetic - but what is going on here? The story does have a fairy tale feel and overtones of the classic story The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wild.
Here are the CBCA Judges comments: This exquisite, high-quality picture book captivates from the soft, detailed cover and beautiful endpapers through to the very end. Language is poetic and evocative, successfully using a range of literary devices (repetition, rhythm, rhyme) to create mood and atmosphere. Vocabulary is sophisticated taking the reader on a journey with the unfurling story of the girl, her creativity and the giant and his demands. Bolding and changes in size and positioning of the text is utilised effectively, enhancing the message. Artwork is exceptional, at times almost creating an additional narrative thread, at others extending the feelings and actions of the characters. Variations in colour palette reflect the changing mood, emotions and dialogue between the girl and the giant. Use of
changes in perspective and positioning is creative and original.
Mateja Jager is a Slovene born designer and illustrator, currently living in Sydney.
Here is a Pinterest of her art. And here is her
Instagram page which shows some illustrations from Paper-Flower girl. On her Instagram page I read this comment about Paper-Flower Girl:
" A triumph of simplicity, full of meaning without teaching, about good versus evil, patience over expectation, values & their compromise, and the tragedy of greed." Link
The Magpies reviewer (a current CBCA judge of the Eve Pownall Non Fiction award) said this book is "a sweet parable for our times and a fun way to learn the cleverness of sounds and the magic of words .... The paper-flower girl realises she needs to be following her own creativity and in her own style and time." Magpies volume 39, Issue 1, March 2024 page 36
I really liked a previous book by Margrete Lamond:
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