Cirrus@Austlit

'Eleven-year-old Novi just wants to blend in, but it isn′t easy when you′re named after a type of silkworm and have the most eccentric family in town. A descendant of the first Italian silk-growers in northern New South Wales, he is an obsessive artist with a habit of drawing the stories of the people around him and a secret conviction that the river murdered his grandfather.

'Dom Best is new in town, new to teaching and alarmed to discover that one of his young students is gifted. Hindered by inexperience, he must overcome his lack of confidence to support Novi′s talent, encouraging the boy to unleash the secrets of his unusual family history through his art. Little does he know the devastating consequences his involvement in Novi′s life will have.

'Drawing on the little-known history of silk growing in Australia, Watercolours explores how people are shaped by their links to the past and their relationship to the place in which they live. This surprising and poignant debut novel explores the struggle between art and censorship, personal faith and self-doubt, and celebrates the beautiful clarity and colour a child′s eye-view can bring to the adult world.' (From the publisher's website.)