Violet Mackerel's Natural Habitat - by Anna Branford (Paperback)

About the Book

Violet is the smallest in her family and has a special affinity for Small Things everywhere. So when she finds a tiny ladybug in the garden, she wants to help it. But then Violet wakes up to a horrible surprise and learns a hard lesson about natural habitats, in the third book of the series. Illustrations.

Book Synopsis

Violet is back with a little bit of helpfulness and a whole lot of heart in this third book of the effervescent Violet Mackerel series.

Violet is the smallest in her family, and has a special affinity for Small Things everywhere. So when she finds a tiny ladybug in the garden, she expects she knows how it feels. It probably has to go to bed before all the others, and whenever it finds out something interesting (like that your ears keep growing all your life even when you are old), the bigger ladybugs probably say they already knew.

Violet wants to help the ladybug, so she names her Small Gloria, puts her in a jar, and feeds her cheese toast. And then Violet wakes up to a horrible surprise. But thankfully, even as Violet learns a hard lesson about natural habitats, she realizes how nice it is to share her own habitat with a big sister.

Review Quotes

"In this beginning chapter book, seven-year-old Violet Mackerel has a soft spot for Small Things, being one herself.... The sweet and whimsical nature of the story will appeal to many readers."-- "School Library Journal, June 2013"

"In this third in a series of Australian imports starring this appealing, inventive child, Violet turns her attention to small creatures.... The death of animals, whether through accidents or of natural causes, often weighs heavily on children, and this deceptively simple early chapter book takes such concerns seriously without getting stuck there.... Readers who met Violet earlier will feel right at home. Still, this sweet family story stands alone and should attract new fans."-- "Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2013"

"The ever-curious, often-pensive, imminently imaginative Violet Mackerel is considering the natural habitats of ladybugs and sparrows and little sisters.... Violet's sweetness and [her older sister] Nicola's humble patience make for an endearing story of sibling relations in this third book in the Violet Mackerel series."-- "Booklist, June 6, 2013"

"Violet's voice and good spirit is what readers will remember: thoughtful, caring, and with the right amount of self-absorption to mark her as a seven-year-old. Fans will appreciate how Violet has matured over the course of the series. The changes in the sisters' relationship, forged in the absence of parental interference, make this entry the best in the series so far. Like Ann Cameron's The Stories Julian Tells, this is an excellent example of a chapter book that takes new readers seriously."-- "The Horn Book, May June 2013"

About the Author

Anna Branford was born on the Isle of Man and spent parts of her childhood in Africa and in Papua New Guinea. Now she lives in Melbourne, Australia, with a large black cat called Florence. She writes, drinks cups of tea in her garden, and makes dolls and other small things, which she sells at early morning markets. Anna is the author of the Violet Mackerel series. Visit her at AnnaBranford.com.

Elanna Allen lives in New York with her husband and sons, where she writes and illustrates children's books and designs characters for television. She wrote and illustrated Itsy Mitsy Runs Away and has created characters for Disney, Nickelodeon, and PBS. Stop by and say hi at ElannaAllen.com.