For Ages
9 to 12

Covered from head to toe with one-of-a-kind tattoos, Marigold is the brightest, most beautiful mother in the world. At least, that’s what Dolphin thinks—she just wishes Marigold wouldn’t stay out quite so late or have mood spells every now and again. Dolphin’s older sister, Star, loves Marigold too, but she’s tired of looking after her. So when Star’s dad shows up out of the blue and offers to let the girls stay with him, Star jumps at the opportunity. But Dolphin can’t bear to leave Marigold alone. Now it’s just the two of them, and Dolphin is about to be in over her head. . . .

An Excerpt fromThe Illustrated Mum

Marigold started going weird again on her birthday. Star remembered that birthdays were often bad times so we'd tried really hard. Star made her a beautiful big card cut into the shape of a marigold. She used up all the ink in the orange felt-tip coloring it in. Then she did two sparkly silver threes with her special glitter pen and added "Happy Birthday" in her best italic writing. They do calligraphy in Year Eight and she's very good at it.
I'm still in elementary school and I'm useless at any kind of writing so I just drew on my card. As it was Marigold's thirty-third birthday I decided I'd draw her thirty-three most favorite things. I drew Micky (I'd never seen him but Marigold had described him enough times) and Star and me. Then I drew the Rainbow Tattoo Studio and the Victoria Arms and the Nightbirds club. I did them in the middle all clumped together and then round the edges I drew London and the seaside and the stars at night. My piece…