Song of a Blackbird

‘So heart-rending and familiar, and so brilliantly, unforgettably different.’ Morris Gleitzman, bestselling author of Once‘Song of a Blackbird illustrates, with great tenderness, how the past lives within us. This is essential, illuminating reading.’ R. J. Palacio, bestselling author of Wonder‘This gorgeously illustrated graphic novel, told from the perspective of a blackbird, is a fictionalised account of real events…Using illustrations and photo collages, van Lieshout explores themes of propaganda, family and the power of art, all while telling a remarkable true wartime story.’ The Age‘Exquisitely packaged…Marvellous idea.’ The Australian

Maria van Lieshout was born and raised near Amsterdam, where she spent many weekends in the Museum Quarter row house where her grandparents lived with her artist aunt and metalsmith uncle. Drawing while her aunt painted, and pecking stories on a typewriter while her uncle soldered metals, inspired her love for drawing, creating and writing. After high school in Leiden, Maria studied Visual Communications at GWU in Washington DC, and worked in design and innovation at Coca-Cola. In 2000, Maria became an illustrator full-time. She has illustrated/written several picture books. Song of a Blackbird is Maria’s first graphic novel.