Eighteen Summers

The perfect gift for Mother's Day or to welcome a new baby!

Let me tell you a tale of the stars and the sea,
of adventures we’ll have as you grow, wild and free.
 
For the days may drift past, but the years will sail by,
and we’ve just eighteen summers to share, you and I …

This tender lullaby-esque story will tug at any parent’s heart, beautifully capturing the eternal bond of child and mother and the bittersweet, ephemeral nature of childhood. 

'Bound to bring tears to parents’ eyes, [Eighteen Summers] is a must-have book in every family’s library, one to be treasured and shared year after year. This book is a classic in the making … for fans of Kissed by the Moon and Guess How Much I Love You.' Books + Publishing

Penny Harrison is a children's author, book reviewer, garden writer and lifestyle journalist. A professional writer for more than 20 years, she has contributed to a variety of leading magazines, newspapers, guides and books, writing about everything from raising toddlers to raising chickens. 

Leila Rudge was born in England and spent her first few years making mud pies with three sisters, two brothers and Jeni from number 15. Not long after completing an Illustration Degree at Bath Spa University, she jumped on a plane to Australia in search of the sunshine.

In 2009, she illustrated her first children’s book, Duck for a Day, which was shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year Award - Younger Reader’s category. No Bears, her second collaboration with Meg McKinlay also was on the shortlist in the Picture Book of the Year and Early Childhood categories of the 2012 CBCA awards.

Leila's artwork is a mixture of pencil, paint, and paper which is all hand-snipped and glued onto watercolor paper. She loves adding collage to her illustrations and often spends far too long searching through magazines for the perfect colors and patterns.