Suri's Wall by Lucy Estela and Matt Ottley

As many of you already know, I adore Matt Ottley's illustrations. So when I spotted a new picture book with his name on the cover, I got very excited.

Lucy Estela is a debut author who must be feeling very, very lucky to have scored such a wonderful illustrator with her first book.

Suri's Wall starts off as a story about difference, loneliness and the urge to belong.
Suri is isolated from the other children because she is so tall and they are afraid of her, "the wall was Suri's only friend and the touch of the stones gave her warmth."

Eventually, though, she grows so tall that she can see over the other side.
The children become interested in what she can see, and one by one, they gather around to hear what she has to say.

Suri tells them about the beauty, the wonder and the glory of what's on the other side of the wall. Her stories give the children hope and faith as Suri gains acceptance.

One day, the guard, who has been listening all the while to her various stories, says, "they will find out, you know."
Suri replies, "yes perhaps...but not today."

Goosebump city!
I love it when a picture book gives me equal shivers of delight and despair.

You will need to read the book yourself to see what's really outside the wall.

Suri's Wall is a celebration of imagination, innocence and the power of storytelling to reshape our world.

I look forward to seeing what Estela comes up with next.

And because I love Ottley's illustrations so much here's just one of his glorious pages to sigh over.

This post is part of my Australian Women Writer's challenge.