The Flower Garden, A Changi Secret
The Flower Garden, A Changi Secret
Release Date: 1 March, 2026
Author: Claire Saxby
Illustrated by Lucia Masciullo
Published by Walker Books Australia
ISBN: 9781760657352
The children in the Changi camp are working on a surprise for Mrs Ennis’ birthday. They scavenge for scraps of fabric in every colour, and hide in cornered shadows to stitch flowers. But they must keep their surprise a secret, not just from Mrs Ennis, but from their black-booted captors …
The Flower Garden is historical fiction, based on the true story of a quilt made by children while imprisoned in Changi Prison, Singapore during WWII.
Reviews
This is an excerpt of a letter from Jackie, daughter of Elizabeth Ennis, The Girl Guide leader in Changi Prison
‘…The book is beautiful!!! Arrived safely today. It is superb.The simplicity of the story, of the text, is so engaging – and so powerful. And the illustrations really touching, so deceptively simple, and yet carry so much emotion. Even the front cover – the girls young faces, and then below the cold grey concrete of Changi. Everything is superb – even to using the hexagon patches for the endpapers. I cannot thank you and Lucia enough for the way you are sharing this story with younger generations…’
Complex history becomes accessible to young readers when told through intimate, human stories; The Flower Garden: A Changi Secret uses this technique elegantly. CBCA-winning author Claire Saxby (Iceberg) and illustrator Lucia. Read More
