The Lorikeet Tree

 By: Paul Jennings

Location: FIC JEN

Genre:  Health, Nature, Family- Grief and Loss- tough stuff!

A sister and brother face the hardest year of their lives and discover the healing power of nature in this compelling tale from master storyteller Paul Jennings.

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.

A moving story of family, loss and love, from one of Australia's most beloved storytellers.

"The Lorikeet Tree tells the story of twins, Emily, and Alex, who are thrust into the trauma of grief when their picturesque bush retreat is struck by the reality that their Dad is dying from a terminal illness.

Emily is the pragmatic sister, wise beyond her years with a big heart and a protective spirit. While Alex fails to accept that their Dad won’t recover, losing himself in his superstitious activity of adding to the treehouse that he believes will heal all.

Together, the siblings muddle their way through life, bristling at their grief and loss, navigating a world that is too unfair to fathom.

With beautiful rainbow lorikeet’s and feral kitten’s colliding, a profound representation of just how difficult life can be. With his ever sensitive, thoughtful, and powerful storytelling, this is another great example of Paul Jennings’ ability to capture the heart of children throughout the decades."