The coming of age of a lonely girl who learns to follow her dreams ...First published in the United Kingdom in 1985, Jellybean is one of Tessa Duder's best loved children's novels, and tells the beguiling story of a lonely girl, Geraldine, whose unconventional single mother is uncomfortably different from all her schoolmates' mothers. Her mother is a professional musician - but not even something cool like a singer or a a rock star - she plays in the orchestra and occasionally in a jazz band in clubs. Jellybean is often left to her own devices, and feels sad and neglected. When a stranger comes into their life and she finds that he is someone from her mother's past, she begins to wonder if he is her mysteriously absent father. Jellybean also learns what she really wants, and that some things are so important to who you are, you have to make some challenging choices. And the hardest lesson of all is that sometimes you might want to hide away, but what you need to do is take your courage in your hands and be prepared to stand up and be seen. Published internationally in several editions, and a finalist in both Adult and Children's premier literary awards in this country at the time of its release, Jellybean is a poignant and timeless tale that has been out of print for the last ten years, and we are delighted to be able to revisit her enchanting story.

Author Biography

Tessa Duder's literary career spans 28 years. Internationally acclaimed for her multi-award-winning Alex Quartet and Tiggie Tompson trilogy and two picture books, A Book of Pacific Lullabies and Carpet of Dreams, her awards include the Margaret Mahy Medal, the Meridian Energy Katherine Mansfield Fellowship, the coveted Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award, Artist to Antarctica in 2007 and an honorary PhD in 2008. Tessa is also a journalist, editor, non-fiction author and biographer, with Margaret Mahy: a writer's life.