The Big Wall Feeling

Mum, Dad and primary school aged, Jacob, live happily and simply with their cat, Marley, somewhere in Australia. When new neighbours move in next door, although they have the identical family set up (but no cat), their perceived differences passively prevent there being any contact between the families. Only Marley doesn’t notice this big wall feeling and moves happily between the families until the night of the big storm…

Told through the adventures of two primary school aged boys and a cat called Marley, this beautifully illustrated picture book tackles Australia’s very real issues with intercultural acceptance. Ali, Jacob and Marley’s story shows how simple it is to embrace cultural diversity and value individual difference.

Originally from England, Tess has lived and worked in many countries around the world before finally emigrating to Sydney, Australia, in 2003 with her husband and three children. She is a registered nurse specialising in palliative care and oncology having previously worked in translation and had her own business. Zoe, her eldest child, is a journalist currently working from Asia as a freelance correspondent for the ABC and other publications. She is also a talented musician and artist. When the idea for the book came to Tess, she knew that Zoe would bring the story to life through beautiful illustration.