Perfect is a story of anticipation, disappointment, acceptance and, ultimately, love. Written by award-winning children’s author Nicola Davies, it tells the story of a young boy learning to accept his baby sister as being perfect in every way in spite of her disability. Suffused with natural imagery, Perfect is an ideal way to open up the subject of disability with children, as well as being a great story in its own right. Beautifully illustrated by Cathy Fisher, Perfect is a truly remarkable book guaranteed to bring a lump to the throat.
Cathy Fisher was nominated for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2017 for her work on Perfect.
“Stories as deeply felt, and as exquisitely crafted as Perfect are the food that nourish the soul” – Nikki Gamble, education consultant
“It made me breathe a sigh of relief to remember that words and pictures can help widen and explain the world for children. It intrigues, involves and soothes its reader – all at the same time.” –Laura Carlin, artist and illustrator
“This is an extraordinarily beautiful and unusual book that has an appeal far wider than its obvious subject matter.
A young boy is entranced by the fledgling swifts that learn to fly from their nests in the attic. When his new baby sister arrives home, he looks forward to playing with her – imagining them both racing and chasing like the birds.
But it’s soon clear that she has problems (unspecified) and he runs away from her imperfections, sad and disappointed.
Alone in his garden, he finds an injured baby swift and helps it fly again, and in doing so realises that maybe all his sister needs is his love and attention to be perfect in her own way. Written with gentle sensitivity and stunningly illustrated, it’s a very special book.” – Sally Morris, The Daily Mail
“A fledgling swift helps a child cope with disappointment when a baby sister is different than expected. An emotionally vivid, hopeful illustration of unpredictability, disappointment, and acceptance—recommended for children and parents alike.” Kirkus Starred Review
“Perfect recognises the capacity of young readers to handle and enjoy ambiguity in a book. It offers many opportunities to think about the meaning of every phrase, with several different interpretations. Cathy Fisher’s pictures can also be interpreted in different ways as they too often depict far more than the literal story. This is a beautifully crafted, complex book which can certainly be appreciated by young children and older readers. Everyone will take something different on each reading; there is plenty here for us all to discover.” The School Librarian journal, vol. 64 no. 3, School Library Association
