Saving the Butterfly: A story about refugees

a triumph of storytelling in words and art. * ‘Children’s Books About Immigration’, The New York Times *
Gill Smith’s illustrations for Saving the Butterfly (Walker) by Helen Cooper also lean towards muted grey shades as we see a boy and his older sister, two refugees, rescued from a boat. The boy settles, makes friends, but the girl is haunted by the past and can’t move on until the day her brother brings her a butterfly. As the insect and the girl begin to flourish, the illustrations become as rich and colourful as the butterfly’s wings. A tender tale focusing on the aftermath of conflict, it’s a great companion to Nicola Davies’s The Day War Came (2019). * Observer *
with illustrations that find sweetness in sadness, this touching picture book is the resonant story of refugee siblings who have lost everything but each other * The Sunday Times *
This is the most beautiful story of loss, fear and hope, tied together with the healing power of nature. * Juno *
Featured in ‘Best children’s books of 2022 so far’ – Nicolette Jones * Sunday Times *

Helen Cooper is an author and illustrator whose work includes classic titles such as The Bear Under the Stairs, Pumpkin Soup, The Baby Who Wouldn’t Go to Bed and Tatty Ratty. Her books have been translated into 26 languages and won many awards including the Library Association Kate Greenaway Medal – twice.

Gill Smith pursued illustration and achieved an MA with distinction in Children’s Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art. She was shortlisted for the Batsford Illustration prize and a winner of international competition, “Picture This”. She illustrated Maria’s Island, a retelling of Victoria Hislop’s bestselling book, The Island, reimagined for children.

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