Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley

Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley are the best of friends. But they are different in almost every way . . .

Pearl likes solving mysteries and moves rather fast in the world.

Charlie likes taking baths and watching his garden grow.

So how can Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsely be such goods friends?

A delightfully uplifting tale about self-belief, courage - and above all - the power of friendship.

About the Author

Aaron Blabey is the author and illustrator of numerous children’s books published by Penguin Australia. In 2012 – The National Year of Reading - he has the honour of being the joint National Literacy Ambassador with the wonderful Libby Gleeson.

Aaron’s first book, Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, won the 2008 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood and was included in the Smithsonian Institute's Notable Book List of 2008 in the USA. It was also shortlisted for the 2008 Crichton Award for New Illustrators, the 2008 NSW Premier's Literary Awards and the 2009 Children's Peace Literature Award.

His second picture book, Sunday Chutney, was shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year 2009: Picture Books and the Australian Book Industry Awards 2009: Young Children.

Stanley Paste, his third picture book, was published in 2009 to wide acclaim.

His latest release, The Ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon is a 2012 CBCA Notable Book in two separate categories while being selected as one of the prestigious White Ravens of 2012 in Munich, Germany and it's also been shortlisted for the 2012 Adelaide Festival Literary Awards and the 2012 Aurealis Awards.

Later this year his fifth book The Dreadful Fluff is to be released, swiftly followed by The Brothers Quibble in 2013.

Aaron lectures at a prominent Sydney design college (CATC) and regularly visits schools talking to kids about books. He spent his youth as an actor, winning an AFI Award for Best Actor along the way.

He has a lazy eye, two little boys and a very short wife.