The Heart and the Bottle

Author(s): Oliver Jeffers

Picture Books

Award-winning picture book star Oliver Jeffers explores themes of love and loss in this life-affirming and uplifting tale.


Once there was a girl whose life was filled with wonder at the world around her... Then one day something happened that made the girl take her heart and put it in a safe place. However, after that it seemed that the world was emptier than before. But would she know how to get her heart back? In this deeply moving story, Oliver Jeffers deals with the weighty themes of love and loss with an extraordinary lightness of touch and shows us, ultimately, that there is always hope.

$14.99 AUD

Stock: 0


Add to Wishlist


Product Information

Shortlisted for Kate Greenaway Medal 2011.

"Beautifully produced and profoundly moving! It made me cry, and I'm pretty sure I won't be the only one." - The Irish Times "Jeffers anatomises loss and the processes of grief with an honesty and ingenuity that will move adults and children of any age." - Telegraph "The illustrations are so perfect that they made me want to cry even before the grandpa dies." - Sunday Telegraph feature covering 'The best books for all ages'. "Oliver Jeffers is one of the most important picture book artists this country has produced. With almost a million books sold in 19 languages, and countless awards already under his belt, this new title sees him in top form. "From the blue pencil sketches on the end papers, to the clever double-jacket cover, every aspect of this book is beautifully designed, making it a pleasure to hold and read. The illustrations are fantastic, spare, yet full of the emotion, energy, colour and quirky details we've come to expect from Jeffers. When a little girl's father - a man who understands wonder and delights in sharing it with his daughter - dies, she is so perplexed by grief she takes out her heart and puts it in a bottle. She wears it around her neck to keep it safe, and there it stays until she grows up and meets someone who knows how to take it back out again. A simple story, yet one full of wisdom and magic. A story which will equally bewitch adult and child, just like a classic children's book should." - Irish Independent Praise for 'How to Catch a Star': "How To Catch A Star is a beautiful debut picture book from an extremely talented and innovative illustrator. This is a fantastic story which teaches children that if you wish hard enough your dreams just may come true." - The Bookseller "Adults tend to think of waiting as tedious, but the magic of this book is that it understands waiting as children wait - alert, apprehensive and using their imaginations." - Mail on Sunday "A stunning debut!" - New Talent, Books for Keeps "If the title sounds magical and optimistic to you, it's probably because that's exactly what this book is." - Book of the Month, Junior Praise for 'Lost and Found': "Completely captivating and definitely one of my favourite picture books of the year." - Becky Stradwick, Children's Buyer - Borders UK, Publishing News "Deeply satisfying book." - Books For Keeps "Wonderfully illustrated book." - The Bookseller "Heart-warming, irresistible story." - Financial Times Magazine "Exceptional picture book! The strong, graphic water colour illustrations are magical." - Bookfest "Jeffers has a unique writing and illustrative style. It's a wonderful picture book." - Publishing News "My picture book of the year, a joyful exploration of the power of friendship." - Irish Independent Praise for 'The Incredible Book Eating Boy': "Mouth-wateringly irresistible" - The Guardian "This is a book that children will devour." - The Observer "The whole thing looks good enough to eat." - TES "A beautifully produced edition that really is good enough to eat." - The Bookseller "With The Incredible Book Eating Boy, Jeffers has produced his most appealing work yet, conjuring up a magical piece of fiction that is not only divinely illustrated and wittily told, but perfectly realised." - Junior

Oliver Jeffers is a fresh new talent in picture books. He graduated from The University of Ulster in 2001 with First Class honours and has since exhibited his paintings around the world. His outstanding talent has been recognised by several high-profile awards, including the Nestle Children's Book Prize Gold Award, the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award and the Irish Children's Book of the Year.

General Fields

  • : 9780007182343
  • : HarperCollins Publishers
  • : HarperCollins GB
  • : 0.24
  • : November 2010
  • : 265mm X 259mm
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Oliver Jeffers
  • : Paperback
  • : Oliver Jeffers
  • : English
  • : 5-9
  • : chiefly col. ill