Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Our Tower | Paperback | Children's Story Book
Our Tower | Paperback | Children's Story Book
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This magical story follows three children living in a tower block, as they embark on a fantastical adventure which helps them see their home in a new light.
A deeply personal story written by multi-award winning poet and Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho, drawn from his own experience growing up in a tower block and looking for adventure. This story is a celebration of, and a reclaiming of tower blocks as a place where magic and adventure can happen.
It’s a modern-day fable that shows the children of a tower block travelling to a strange, magical world inside a tree and meeting an old man with supernatural powers, only to realise that the magic they’d been looking for had been in their tower all along.
Beautiful illustrations complement the poetic narrative, creating an enchanting story which children and adults alike will fall in love with.
This powerful story is about how society separates ‘urban’ spaces from the countryside, but the reality is that nature is everywhere, and everyone should have access to it.
“Coelho draws on his own experience growing up in a tower block on the edge of Richmond Park in London in this title.”
“Coelho drew upon his own experiences to tell this story about three children who leave their tower block and tumble into a strange world underneath a tree. There, a “tree-grown man” helps them understand the power of nature and, when they resurface, their tower block is transformed into a place of colour and light. Gorgeously illustrated by Johnson, this modern-day fable is a celebration of high-rise living and its ties to the ancient, natural world”
“Fresh to the post of children’s laureate, Joseph Coelho is releasing Our Tower […] Coelho, who was inspired by his experience growing up in London, has said “I wanted to bring the magic of Narnia to the tower block ” — which seems the perfect mission statement […] books can’t fill tummies but they can provide hope and escape.
“The new children’s laureate has written a poem about living in a tower block and a magical journey into the forest to rediscover our connection to nature. Richard Johnson’s gentle illustrations capture the magic in this picture book for older children.”
“Gorgeously illustrated by Richard Johnson, this picture book is a love letter to high-rise living and its connection to the ancient, natural world.”
“The new Children’s Laureate draws on his own experiences for this fantastical nature-based fable which encourages three children to see their tower block home in a new light.”
“Fresh to the post of children’s laureate, Joseph Coelho is releasing Our Tower […] Coelho, who was inspired by his experience growing up in London, has said “I wanted to bring the magic of Narnia to the tower block ” — which seems the perfect mission statement […] books can’t fill tummies but they can provide hope and escape’
“This glowing, poetic picture book from the new children’s laureate celebrates the joys of community in urban spaces while quietly affirming that the natural world belongs to everyone.”
“Our Tower celebrates the joys of community in urban spaces while quietly affirming that the natural world belongs to everyone”.”
“A surprising metropolitan fantasy... Coelho writes with evocative language.”
“The narrative, with its lyrical prose and playful take on typography, will encourage young readers to look for the imagination and beauty hidden right at home and to cherish their bonds with neighbors, friends, and loved ones during everyday life.”
Reading age: 6 years or older
Ideal For: Perfect for 3-6 year olds who call a tower home, and Coelho's magical reminder that wonder lives where you live.
Details: Paperback | 48 pages | 27.6 × 23.5 cm
About the Creators: Joseph Coelho is an award-winning author and former Waterstones Children’s Laureate. He won the prestigious Carnegie Medal for Writing with The Boy Lost in the Maze and the CLPE CLiPPA Poetry Award with his début poetry collection Werewolf Club Rules . His picture books include If All the World Were . . ., illustrated by Allison Colpoys, which won the Independent Bookshop Week Picture Book Award and has been translated into over 10 languages, and the critically acclaimed Luna Loves series, illustrated by Fiona Lumbers, which has sold over 450,000 copies. His poetry titles also include All Poems Aloud , created for World Book Day. He is an admired performer and broadcaster – a guest poet on CBeebies and Radio 4, and presenter for the BBC’s Teach Poetry – and has written plays for Soho Theatre, Polka Theatre, the Unicorn Theatre and more. Visit him at his website: www.thepoetryofjosephcoelho.com/ Richard Johnson is an illustrator whose picture books have been published by Penguin, Faber & Faber, Macmillan, DK, and many others. His work is deeply thoughtful and conjures up powerful atmospheres with detailed, delicate pencil strokes.
Publication details
- Published
- 2023
- Publisher
- Frances Lincoln Children's Books
