Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue by Jodie McLeod, illustrated by Eloise Short

Title: Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue

Author: Jodie McLeod

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Wollemi Press

Published: 22^nd July 2023

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 48

Price: $24.95

Synopsis: From the award-winning author and illustrator of Leonard the Lyrebird and Lilah the Lyrebird comes this uplifting story about friendship, kindness and the magic of giving.

What happens when the one thing that makes you special is stolen?

Join the Black Cockatoo in this fun, read-aloud adventure through the Australian bush as she searches for her missing feather… and discovers what’s truly important.
​
“Do you know who took my one feather blue?”

Following the success of their two previous books, author Jodie McLeod and illustrator Eloise Short are set to inspire young readers once again with The Black Cockatoo With One Feather Blue – a story filled with musicality, mystery and masterful visuals.

With the aim of connecting children with the natural world in their books, this beautiful quality hardcover showcases iconic Australian birds and animals while delivering a heartfelt message of kindness and of letting go.

Kids will love the repetition of the title as they join the hunt for the feather thief – all the way to the book’s uplifting end!

Success for Leonard the Lyrebird ​

• Over 7000 copies sold
• Winner: 2019 Whitley Award for Best Young Children’s Book, Royal Zoological Society of NSW
• Shortlisted: 2019 REAL Awards (KOALAs, YABBAs)
• Italian translation Leonard l’uccello lira published by
  Voglino Editrice
• Adapted into classical music composition “Leonard the Lyrebird: A Musical Story” by Ian Munro, toured by
  Orchestra Victoria
• Featured on national TV (Channel 9)
• Kinderling Kids’ Radio “Story of the Week”
• Featured on Book Lists for NSW & VIC Premier’s Reading Challenges
• Find testimonials, stockists, buy online at www.jodiemcleod.com/books
• Pre-order signed copies here

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Black Cockatoo has a lovely blue feather amongst all her black ones, and she loves it. It makes her smile. It makes her feel good, and it makes her feel like she knows who she is. Yet when she wakes up one day, her blue feather is missing. Black Cockatoo is devastated – and she feels like she has lost what makes her unique. So, she goes on a journey with her friends, the brave kangaroo, the wise emu, and the kind quolls two top find out where her feather has gone. The traverse the bush, which is reminiscent of the Blue Mountains, taking in the natural beauty of the Australian bush. It shows that there is beauty in the natural world and shows the deep connections the bush has to everything living within it and around it.

Jodie’s story is told in lyrical rhymes, which have a gentle, loving quality to them. At times, there is a solemnity – one that anyone who has ever lost something they love dearly will have felt. In doing so, Jodie has created a story that anyone can relate to, including the search for the item which takes Black Cockatoo and her friends on an epic journey. And yet, as they trek through the bush, Black Cockatoo discovers that there are different ways of looking at the world, and there are things that matter more than a blue feather. Jodie’s words are coupled with Eloise Short’s lovely illustrations – I felt invited into the world and like I was a part of the world of Black Cockatoo. This is one of those picture books that is aimed at three to five years olds, but like with any picture book, I think it can be read at any age. It is one of those books that is not only beautiful and a joy to read, but it also illustrates that sometimes, the real treasure in our lives is the people who are our friends, and that we can do things even if that thing that makes us think we need it to do something is gone – there will be another way to do it, or it is something that we always have within us to remain who we are.

Books like this have a magical quality about them – they have something in them for everyone, and something that will speak to people. It allows readers to explore how they see themselves, and how they live in the world and what they do. And Black Cockatoo is courageous and doesn’t give up – she has a goal, and she wants to achieve it, but like anyone, she needs help. And her bravery in asking for help shone through for me. It is the kind of story that allowed her worries, concerns, and desires to shine through, to show what kind of personality she has. In doing so, I think Jodie has created a story that reassures readers that asking for help to achieve their goals is okay. We all need help and guidance sometimes, and reassurance when things don’t go as we expect them to. That is what I love about literature in all its forms – on the surface, the stories seem simple, but if you peel back the layers, there are many more aspects to a story, which will always be different for every narrative. But I have found that in every book I have read, there is something to connect to – a place, a character, a feeling, or something else. The power of good literature allows this to happen, whilst also giving a voice to people who may not have always had a voice. And I feel like Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue is a piece of literature that everyone can relate to. I adored this book and it also has a calming effect on the reader. I hope that people enjoy this book, and that it finds its place in the literary world.