The Treasure Box - Hardcover

by Margaret Wild (Author), Freya Blackwood (Illustrator)

A moving and ultimately hopeful look at what we hold most dear -- and carry with us -- when we are forced to flee our homes because of war.

When the enemy bombs the library, everything burns, and only one book survives. As war rages around them, Peter and his father, alongside so many refugees, flee their home, taking with them a treasure box that holds something rarer than rubies and more precious than gold. They journey through mud and rain and long cold nights, and soon survival becomes more important than any possession. But as the years go by, Peter never forgets the treasure box, and one day he returns to find it. This moving story from celebrated author Margaret Wild is illustrated with Freya Blackwood's subtly affecting artwork, which incorporates pages of children's books in translation. The result is a haunting and beautiful tale of the power of stories and the resilience of the human spirit.

Author Biography

Margaret Wild has written more than forty books for children, including Let the Celebrations Begin!, illustrated by Julie Vivas. Many of her books have been named Picture Book of the Year by the Children's Book Council of Australia, and in 2008 she won the Nan Chauncy Award for outstanding contribution to children's literature in Australia, where she lives.

Freya Blackwood is an award-winning illustrator. She won the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration in 2010 for Harry and Hopper, written by Margaret Wild. She lives in Australia.