Parrot Place by Susanne Gervay

Susanne Gervay is an author who says she writes for young people so they can ‘laugh, learn, love and be courageous in a challenging world.’ She also writes for adults so that they can explore ideas with kids that excite and empower them. As the child of refugees, she sees story as the secret ingredient and pathway to home and self belief. Presented with the Lifetime Social Justice Literature Award for her body of work by the International Literacy Association and an Order of Australia, Susanne’s books are recognised as capturing hope – be it the joyous and playful cockatoos in There’s a Gang in Our Street or the heroic kids in Heroes of the Holocaust. Her beloved I Am Jack series has become a rite-of-passage on school bullying and was adapted into a play that toured across Australia and USA, while Harmony Day is at the centre of Elephants Have Wings.

Susanne’s latest book, with consultant Pooja Mathur and illustrated by Sarah Tabassum, is called Parrot Palace. It’s a warm and engaging junior fiction story about three inventive and daring kids, along with their families, who live in a three-story apartment block called ‘Parrot Palace.’

About The Book

Hari, Lily-Rosa, and Mikey come from different cultures, but their differences unite them as they form a close-knit team. They share their secrets as they navigate their dreams and challenges.
Will Mikey become a joker or follow in his dad’s footsteps as a builder? Can Lily-Rosa balance her dreams of becoming a firefighter, and a ballerina? And will Hari fix the disaster he created for his Nani and mother?

They join together and confront their arch enemy, the neighbour Mr Crabtree. It is here, that they eventually find the real answers to friendship.

Parrot Palace has a number of important themes including diversity, acceptance, family and friendship. It celebrates multicultural Australia, tradition, community, and the wonderful experience of learning about those who have a different background to you, and realising that you might have more in common than you first think. Told from Hari’s perspective, the story begins when he moves into Parrot Palace with his Mam and grandmother Nani. They bond with the place straight away, especially Nani. The green parrot wearing a golden crown cemented into the entrance brings her to tears and she explains to Hari that parrots are the symbol for love.

From here, the gentle hand of Susanne’s prose takes us on an adventure through the daily life of Hari, as he makes new friends – and an enemy in gumpy neighbour Mr Crabtree. Hari wants to fit in. He wants to make friends, but he worries that he won’t be accepted. He has been bullied before. However, he is surprised to discover that Mikey and Lily-Rosa only have three rules in their club and he quickly becomes part of their close-knit group. This is fun at first, but soon leads to disaster when he is drawn into the battle with Mr Crabtree. In another twist, something very precious is broken due to the carelessness of Hari and he and his friends must work together to fix it. Hinduism and Asian cultural traditions are woven throughout the story. Lily-Rosa has a Hungarian father and her mother is Chinese.

The story is perfectly paced and dotted with very funny moments, as well as lots of warmth and heart. Hari’s voice is authentic and appropriate for his age and background, as he grapples with the fear of rejection of his culture and the love he has for his family. There are important messages and discussion points in this book, and at its heart it is a tale of friendship and understanding, as well as cooperation, acceptance and making a difference – together. The black and white illustrations by Sarah Tabassum throughout the book are lively and emotive, adding much to the story.

The celebration of togetherness and generational relationships through traditional dishes and the sharing of these with others is a constant thread that warms the heart and stomach! And perhaps most importantly, you are left with the reminder that not everyone is as they seem, and that we should be open to seeing people fully and not making assumptions about who they are.

Highly recommended for ages 7+ and would make a perfect text for classrooms. See more at Susanne’s website.

Helen