Dimensions
230 x 250 x 6mm
Illustrated by Helen Leach.
It's Edward's seventh birthday and everything is going wrong. There's a horrible smoky smell in the air, Mum is rushing around packing photo albums, Dad is on the roof with a hose and his brother is packing his toys. Then a fire engine comes along and the captain says they have to get out fast!
Off they go to Grandma's, and Edward hasn't even had a single present! But Grandma has a special gift for him - a box of paints containing colours with magic names - burnt sienna, viridian, cobalt, rose madder . . .
When Edward and the family return to their house, they find the fire has destroyed all the surrounding bush. Edward turns to his paintbox. At first his picture is black and grey, but gradually little hints of green and other colours appear, as the Australian bush begins to regenerate.
