Freya Blackwood, The Garden of Broken Things, HarperCollins AU, May 2024, 32 pp., RRP $26.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922539991
Freya Blackwood’s The Garden of Broken Things is a beautifully illustrated picture book exploring curiosity, the joys of listening, themes of loss, resilience, and the healing power of creativity. Freya Blackwood is an award-winning illustrator of Maudie and Bear (2011 CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award), and the first winner to receive three picture book awards in one year (2015 CBCA Book of the Year Awards). Freya’s latest impressive title captivates readers with her earthy soft and gentle water-coloured illustrations, teamed with detailed line work, enticing readers to step inside a garden of transformation and life.
The Garden of Broken Things revolves around two warm expressive characters, young Sadie and an older woman. Sadie discovers an overgrown, abandoned garden and stays with the older woman there (who could possibly be grandmother). The garden filled with broken belongings, becomes the focus of transformation, new life and imaginative play. From sadness and loneliness, there is joy finding and up-cycling the broken objects, turning them into something wonderful and new with the story characters.
This narrative sends a comforting message about hope, resilience and the power of creativity to overcome loss, sadness and loneliness. I highly recommend this read to help children and elders overcome similar life challenges. This book would be a great story time read for children reading with elders. The most touching part of this story is the visually, captivating journey in the garden that strengthened the characters’ connections, highlighting the importance of listening, companionship and transformation.
Teacher notes are available from the publisher’s website for use with middle primary students. For early primary students see below.
Some activities to help young children engage more deeply with the story and themes, foster creativity and encourage problem-solving skills, is a Fix-It Workshop set up where children can try to fix or repurpose broken toys and household items within safe limits. Question students with, have you ever made something new out of old or broken things? I recommend further engagement after the story through creating a garden using craft materials where children create their own garden of broken things by including items like old buttons, fabric scraps and small objects to make a collage. Ask students what they think the garden of broken things represents? Encourage children to write a short story or write a response about what they would do if they found a garden of broken things. Go outside for a walk to find natural objects that can be used to create a garden. Discuss the beauty in broken, imperfect and old things. Start gardening projects after this story by planting some seeds or tiny plants. Talk about how gardens need care and attention to grow. These activities can help children engage more deeply with the story and themes that foster creativity, problem-solving and resilience.
The Garden of Broken Things has been shortlisted in the 2025 Picture Book of the Year category.
Reviewed by Chantelle Ciccotosto
Read Maura Pierlot’s review here
