Lissy's Garden
Written by Ellen DeLange
Illustrated by Ilaria Zanellato
About 'Lissy's Diary'
Grandpa has a surprise for Lissy: together, they are going to take care of a neglected garden. For weeks, they work side by side, and gradually the garden comes to life. When the lavender begins to bloom and its scent brings back memories, Lissy suddenly realizes why this garden is so special to her and Grandpa.
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A sweet story about memories of Grandma, teamwork, and a love for nature.
Age: 5+
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Story behind the story
It's not just images and memories that remind you of someone; it could also be a smell that brings them to mind—like the scent of a meal or flowers. Lissy's Garden is about the power of smells and how they can keep a memory alive for a lifetime. In Lissy's garden, the scent of lavender flowers, in particular, holds a special place. Through the aromas of her garden, Lissy is able to relive cherished memories, finding comfort in the lingering scents that bring her closer to those she loves, even when they’re gone.
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About the illustrator
Ilaria Zanellato was born in North-West Italy in 1993. She started loving drawing when she was at the Primary School and discovered oil colours thanks to her mother’s passion. That’s also when she decided to undertake a real study in the field of Art graduating at the Art High School in Novara. Thanks to a scholarship, she attended the IED Institute in Turin and graduated in illustration and Visual Communication. Today Ilaria actively works as an illustrator and as an author of children books. Ilaria creates her own worlds of using collage, coloured pencil, graphite and acrylic. She was selected finalist at 1st Little Hakka International Picture Book Competition (2017) Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition (2018) and Posterheroes- (2019).
International publications
'Lissy's Garden' is (will be) available in:
Dutch (2025)
English (2025)
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Also available in this series:
