If there’s one thing Cindy, a teenager with Down’s Syndrome who lives in a group home, knows, it’s that there’s a world of difference between institutional caretaking and caring. And so when she finds an abandoned puppy in How Smudge Came, professional storyteller Nan Gregory’s first picture book, Cindy knows it’s right to rescue and love it, no matter what others think. This extraordinary book became an international bestseller and won several awards. Wild Girl & Gran, Gregory’s and Lightburn’s second picture book together, is just as outstanding.

In a voice of clipped poetic intensity, Wild Girl, a lonely, imaginative, rebellious tomboy, relates the story. When her Gran first comes to live with her family, Wild Girl is hiding out in her favourite tree, where she can be anyone she wants to be – a princess, a pirate, a cowboy. Before long Gran, a kindred Wild Girl herself with a rose tattoo on her ankle, becomes her granddaughter’s gleeful co-conspirator, roaming alongside her in fantasy adventures throughout the countryside they love. Caged in grief after her adored Gran dies, Wild Girl is released from the pain of loss when her mother shares her loving memories of Gran.

The book is distinguished by Gregory’s nuanced, resonant storytelling and depth of feeling. Ron Lightburn’s mise en scène paintings richly illuminate the text. With the artistry of a cinematographer, he powerfully evokes mood, emotion, and relationships through perspective, lighting, and coloration.

The essence of Wild Girl’s and Gran’s special bond is encapsulated in the image of Gran sitting at the base of a tree knitting while Wild Girl, astride a stout branch, takes flight into the wild, wide world of the imagination. This story is a beautifully apt metaphor for parental love as a safety net encouraging children to take risks and be adventurous.