A Pair of Pears and an Orange
★ A CBCA Notable book
★ Winner of the 2022 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year (3–5 years)
An adorable story about making new friends and finding creative solutions to playground problems.
A pair of pears rocked on a seesaw.
A pair of pears played ping-pong.
A pair of pears rode their tandem bike.
Until one day, someone new wanted to join their fun.
Big Pear and Little Pear love playing together. But when Orange joins in, their games don’t work and Big Pear feels left out. A relatable, hilarious, and kind-hearted tale about navigating friendship when three definitely starts to feel like a crowd! From the author of the award-winning Anemone is not the Enemy.
The ideal gift for new kindergarten and school starters
A perfect conversation starter for teachers and librarians supporting children as they grapple with the challenges of friendship dynamics
—
Ages 3–7 | 280mm × 225mm | 32pp | 4 Pantones | Buckram paper on cover
Author & Illustrator: Anna McGregor
AUD$24.99 | £11.99 | US$17.99 (Hardback)
AU Edition (Hardback) | AUD$24.99
Publication Date: 1 June 2021
ISBN: 9781922310118
UK Edition (Hardback) | £12.99 | Pre-order soon
Publication Date: 8 Sep 2022
ISBN: 9781913348748
US Edition (Hardback) | US$17.99 | Pre-order now at Bookshop.org
Publication Date: 5 Oct 2021
ISBN: 9781950354702
‘A duo of pears adjusts to a new playmate… Using humorous wordplay, the text sends the message there’s always room for one more, a concept reinforced by the droll, quiet illustrations… A mindful, whimsical lesson in inclusivity.’
—Kirkus Reviews
‘[A] sweet story, ripe with fruity puns and adorable illustrations that subverts the old adage that ‘two’s company and three’s a crowd.’ A simple colour scheme with minimal detail puts the focus on the story, but the black line limbs and facial expressions on the characters add a lot of appeal.’
—Youth Services Book Review
‘This is an entertaining and gently educational tale, perfect for reading aloud with early primary school-aged kids who may be feeling jealousy around newly formed friendships and changing group social dynamics.’
—Ellen Cregan, Books + Publishing
‘Parents and children alike will be delighted by the adorable illustrations … It might be a story about fruit, but it’s an infinitely relatable one.’
—Prudence Wade, Independent
Anna McGregor is a creator of modern, quirky and conceptual stories with humour and heart. Since beginning her career as a graphic designer, Anna is now emerging as an award-winning picture book author/illustrator.
Anna’s driving purpose is to delight and entertain children through timeless storytelling. With them, she explores evergreen issues through a child’s lens and allows them to interpret the stories in their own way and draw their own conclusions.
Anna has a deep curiosity of all things and finds her ideas by turning the mundane on its head, merging ideas or exploring wordplay — but always with a story that connects to the human experience.
Anna lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and son.
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