LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
August 2020 Book of the Month | Interest Age 8+ Reading Age 8
Laura Dockrill packs a really big story into this compact little book and though she tackles some big issues too, she keeps them specific to her set of characters, so that even quite young readers will understand. Sequin’s mum is a dressmaker, sewing gowns and fabulous outfits for the stars. She never takes any credit though, preferring to stay in the background and in fact, she’s literally hiding herself away in the family’s flat at the top of a tower block. When Sequin does a school presentation about her mum, no-one believes her. It makes Sequin angry with her mum, but then a terrible danger threatens them and they both have to face their real fears. It’s a story that readers will absolutely love, with a twist that they’ll want to return to again and again.
Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+
Andrea Reece
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About
Sequin and Stitch Synopsis
From acclaimed creator Laura Dockrill comes Sequin and Stitch, a touching and lyrical story of family, loss and the trials of patching life back together. Renowned for her honest and socially conscious fiction, Laura's Barrington Stoke debut is no exception – it passionately shows the power of mending what is broken, and was inspired partly by the Grenfell tragedy.
Sequin's mum is a talented seamstress and their little flat is overflowing with beautiful silks, fabrics, buttons and beads. It's a sparkling sanctuary, like a princess's wardrobe. While Mum works at her sewing machine late into the night, Sequin takes care of her baby brother, Stitch, and dreams of a place in the spotlight for her brilliant mum. But when tragedy strikes, their shimmering world disintegrates and Sequin is forced to confront the biggest loss of all ...
Acclaimed creator Laura Dockrill sews together family, imagination and heart in this lyrical and completely unique Barrington Stoke debut.
Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781781129319 |
| Publication date: |
15th August 2020 |
| Author: |
Laura Dockrill |
| Illustrator: |
Sara Ogilvie |
| Publisher: |
Barrington Stoke Ltd |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
92 pages |
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Author
About Laura Dockrill
Laura Dockrill, a graduate of the Brit School of Performing Arts, is a performance poet, an author and an illustrator. At the age of twenty-two, she was named one of The Times’ "Top Ten Literary Stars". She is the author of the bestselling Darcy Burdock series, the first of which was shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year prize.
Her adult book What Have I Done is an honest memoir about suffering post-natal mental illness. Her debut picture book, and first collaboration with Maria Karipidou, was Angry Cookie. Laura lives in south-west London
Laura Dockrill is a performance poet and novelist. She has performed her work at the Edinburgh Fringe, Camp Bestival, Latitude, Bookslam and the Soho Theatre and on each of the BBC's respective radio channels, 1-6. She has been a roaming reporter for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, judged the BBC National Short Story Award, and has appeared on Blue Peter, Channel 4 News and Newsnight. Laura also teaches Guardian Masterclasses in writing for children and is on the advisory board at the Ministry of Stories.
Her books include Mistakes in the Background, Ugly Shy Girl and Echoes. Her first series for younger children, Darcy Burdock was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. Lorali is her first novel for teenagers.
Laura is a judge on the Blue Peter Awards 2018: “I adored judging the Blue Peter Book Award, the nominated list was incredibly strong and made judging the prize so difficult. Which I think is a very good thing for the world of children’s books! I met wizards, talking toys with speech impediments, and was flown across the globe to marvellous new landscapes. I met big foot, uncovered mysteries and had my head blown off by space facts. It was a wonderful privilege and the shortlist is stunning!”
More About Laura Dockrill
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A letter from the author;
"I have wanted to write of a seamstress for a very long time, various inspirations came to mind writing Sequin and Stitch, I used to live next door to a seamstress who once showed me her incredible studio – drawer after drawer of organised teardrop-sized glass beads and cotton. When my Grandma died she left behind her button box, which I wrote about. I always felt fascinated by that. I think I see 'making' in a way something very much like writing a story, you pull together thread and fabric and create something new ... like words and character and a plot - yet I'm not neat or tidy enough to sew myself. My sister is VERY good at it. I love clothes so I have an interest. I knew one day these characters would tumble out of me – Mum, Sequin and Stitch ... and here they are.
I grew up in London, in a downstairs flat. Many of my friends lived in tower blocks, so I've always been interested in the idea of everybody's homes and different lives, stacked on top of eac h other. I never saw blocks of flats as cramped, but comforting; a community. I loved our flat at home. Just like Sequin's home in the story, our home, although crowded, felt like a palace – Mum had creamy red wine wallpaper with gold stars and we even had a chandelier! It was very beautiful. When thinking of what to write about for Barrington Stoke, my partner and friends and I went on a silent peace walk in memory of the Grenfell tragedy. I remembered well the devastation of hearing of the Grenfell fire when it happened, it was something that hit us all because it could have been any tower next to any of us. Friends we knew. The fear, the panic and the terror shook us all in its wake. It was close to home. Easy to imagine. We all saw and smelt the smoke. I think we all felt somehow let down but also somehow responsible. Like we could have done something more. At the walk I was so struck by the loss and sadness yet also the hope and community – it wasn't weak, it wasn't sad. It was powerful and strong. Inspiring. I remember seeing the children walking with their banners, and it gave me faith and reassurance and so much hope. Kids live in the present, they are the future – a child's view of loss and hardship is inspiring. We always see children as delicate and fragile, we cotton-wool them and shelter them and yet somehow it's us adults that prove to be the tender ones, that fall apart. Meanwhile children are robust and resilient; we survive but children surTHRIVE."
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