Review: Magrit

Magrit is an extraordinary novel, where fantasy and reality drift in and out like mists between the headstones of a tiny graveyard. It is in this setting that we meet an almost-ten-year-old girl, named Magrit, who is wise but innocent, resourceful yet naive, and fiercely independent but needing love.

Author, Lee Battersby, paints remarkable pictures with his words, illuminating Magrit's deepest thoughts and perceptions, whilst shrouding many truths in mystery. Amy Daoud's illustrations, peppered throughout the pages, create a whimsical sense of Magrit's home and the tall, many-windowed buildings surrounding her.

In this intriguing world, Magrit's dearest and only friend is Master Puppet, a skeletal fellow who speaks to Magrit inside her head. One night, their familiar existence is forever changed when a stork drops a squalling bundle into the graveyard and Magrit soon comes to realise she must face her greatest fear.

Magrit is a tale of loss, love and acceptance. This award-winning story was first published in 2016, and this current edition has been released in 2019.

Title: Magrit
Author: Lee Battersby
Illustrator: Amy Daoud
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, $14.99
Publication Date: 1 March 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760650896
For ages: 9+
Type: Junior Fiction