Pear of Hope

Anna loves the old pear tree that lives at the bottom of the garden. When she becomes seriously ill, her relationship with the tree provides comfort and peace on her journey, particularly when she plants a seed from one of the tree’s pears.

Pear of Hope is the story of a little girl with cancer and her tale of recovery. This is intertwined with the growth of a pear tree, which symbolises the enigmatic concept of hope. Told through sensitive words and gentle, beautiful illustrations, the story will comfort and inspire any children who are struggling to feel positive, whatever journey they may be on.

Author Wenda Shurety wrote Pear of Hope because, as someone living with Multiple Sclerosis, hope has been instrumental in her healing process. The story is a gentle introduction to building a more positive outlook in the face of struggle. As well as adults and children suffering from illness, it will also appeal to educators discussing the topics of hope and symbolism, and to medical staff or counsellors who have to discuss hope in difficult situations.

The beautiful story of Pear of Hope and its brave, adventurous and hopeful main character, Anna, will be a crucial step towards children and their carers embracing hope in their lives. With its vibrant images, it is a reminder of the beauty of the world around us and of the fact that, like Anna, with hope you can face any battle!

Wenda Shurety, or Wobbly Wenda, is a children's author, scientist and archer. She loves to write from the heart about nature, diversity and the magical world of the imagination. Wenda was born in London and began her career in science, studying Biochemistry at the University of Surrey and Cell Biology at the University of Cambridge. She worked in a laboratory in New York, then moved to Australia to work as a scientist at the University of Queensland. There she met her husband, started a family, and now calls Australia home. Becoming a mum inspired Wenda to write stories for children, and she has since written two books, Eva’s Imagination and The Golden Treasure, and been featured in the anthology It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas. Wenda was delighted when Eva's Imagination was read out on Play School last year. She also has two more books coming out in late 2020, both inspired by nature: Nature’s Toybox and Dig! Dig! Dig! Wenda has written Pear of Hope to encourage hope. She has lived with Multiple Sclerosis for twenty years and hasn’t let it stop her. Hope has been instrumental with her journey, and she aims to share it with others so that it might help them, too. In addition to being a scientist and writing wonderful stories, Wenda is also a classified para-archer and will compete in the National Australian Para-archery Championships in March 2020. She lives in Brisbane with her husband, daughter, pug and dachshund.

Deb Hudson is an illustrator who is passionate about drawing bright, happy and colorful images that evoke emotion and thought in their viewer. She was previously a teacher, and taught English in Japan for four years. She then studied for a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, and became a mother. Her first picture book, The Golden Thread, was published in 2019. Deb has been drawing and creating since she was a little girl. As a child her mother said she was ‘off with the fairies’ in her own little dream world, dancing about in dress ups and talking to imaginary friends. Deb is inspired by joy- and wonder-filled dreamy moments of the everyday. She lives in the fabulous city of Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, three children, energetic border collie and a bright yellow canary.