Anemone is Not the Enemy

$24.99

★ Honour Award for the 2021 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood.

A funny tale of mishap, misunderstanding, and the search for true friendship in an ocean rockpool.

All Anemone wants is a friend, but friends are hard to make when you accidentally sting everyone who comes near you.

Perhaps Clownfish has a solution to the problem . . .

Ages 3–7 | 290mm × 220mm | 32pp | CMYK + 1 Pantone | Spot UV on cover

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Author & Illustrator: Anna McGregor

AUD$24.99 | £11.99 | US$16.99 (Hardback)

AU Edition (Hardback) | AUD$24.99

Publication Date: 3 Nov 2020
ISBN: 9781922310118

UK Edition (Hardback) | £11.99 | Buy at Bookshop.org

Publication Date: 12 Aug 2021
ISBN: 9781913348465

US Edition (Hardback) | US$16.99 | Buy at Bookshop.org

Publication Date: 1 Jun 2021
ISBN: 9781950354511

‘This is, at first glance, a very simple, quite quirky and humorous picture book, with minimal text and appealing, colourful, digitally produced illustrations. But it is also a fascinating introduction to life in a rock pool: who lives there, who visits when the tide comes in, who is stung by the anemone and who it can form a symbiotic relationship with.’
—Margaret Hamilton, Books + Publishing

‘This fun and funny picture book tells the story of Anemone who lives in a rock pool and desperately wants a friend … The digitally produced illustrations add so much to this title, from the eye catching neon pink used for the title, endpapers, and titular character to the simple yet sweetly drawn and coloured sea horse, starfish, and sea cucumber … I would highly recommend Anemone is not the Enemy for young readers especially those interested in the natural world.’
—Anne Varnes, Reading Time

‘Terrific neon-hued read-aloud fun.’
—Sara Keating, The Sunday Business Post

‘[Anenome is not the Enemy’s] dappled art has an appropriately aquatic feel, with the gentle blue of the tides interrupted by the neon zaps of Anemone's stingers. McGregor visually includes simple marine life facts into the backdrop of Anemone's dilemma and then expands upon them in the ‘Fun Facts’ backmatter, making this a mini-science lesson wrapped in a sweet friendship story.’
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

‘Utterly charming, and the dialogue between the creatures makes it a fun read aloud … Simple but oh-so-effective, this is a brilliant book for introducing children to the idea of nature’s partnerships.’
—The Little Literary Society

‘An adorable story about an anemone who is hoping to make friends but always happens to sting everyone.’
—The Literacy Party

Anna McGregor is a creator of modern, quirky and conceptual stories with humour and heart. Since beginning her career as a graphic designer, Anna is now emerging as an award-winning picture book author/illustrator.

Anna’s driving purpose is to delight and entertain children through timeless storytelling. With them, she explores evergreen issues through a child’s lens and allows them to interpret the stories in their own way and draw their own conclusions.

Anna has a deep curiosity of all things and finds her ideas by turning the mundane on its head, merging ideas or exploring wordplay — but always with a story that connects to the human experience.

Anna lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and son.

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