“The Glasshouse” Picture Book Illustration (4 images)

Clara lives alone, happily growing beautiful, flawless pumpkins, in her perfect, temperature controlled glasshouse.

Clara's life is perfect - until the day she spies a strange boy from the outside, peering through her doorway.

Confused by what she discovers about the world outside her glasshouse, the boy and his imperfect, blemished pumpkins, Clara begins to worry. All she can think about is bugs on her perfect pumpkins and cracks in her perfect glasshouse windows. Like her pumpkin vines, Clara's concerns grow out of control.

As she deals with the consequences of her choices, Clara learns the value of friendship, to accept and adapt to situations beyond her control and to live life.

Based on the parable, 'people who live in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones', this story reminds us to be sympathetic and not judgemental. We are all doing the best we can in a modern world filled with choices and challenges.

The Glasshouse was selected as an IBBY Outstanding book for young people with disabilities and included in the permanent collection at the International Board on Books for Young people Documentation Centre in Norway. Illustrations from the Glasshouse were shortlisted in the 2011 CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) Crichton Award for new illustrators.