LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
Interest Age 9+ Reading Age 8
Judy Garland loves Boo’s garden and that is the start of a beautiful (and beautifully described) friendship.
Judy Garland is in fact narrator Hayley’s cat and Boo – Lillian to use her real name – is her elderly neighbour. Hayley has seen Boo through her window, has heard the neighbourhood gossip about how she won’t sell her house, leaving it standing alone, the rest of its row demolished, but when the two get to know one another (thanks to Judy Garland), they discover they have an awful lot in common.
For all its drama – family tragedy, Hollywood stars, tense misunderstandings – this story describes with insight, tenderness and humour the gradual development of a very special inter-generational relationship.
Written for Barrington Stoke, its short length and special features make it ideal for dyslexic and reluctant readers, but it’s a story to be enjoyed and savoured by anyone.
Andrea Reece
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About
The Last House in the Row Synopsis
Hayley discovers the importance of giving people a chance in this thought-provoking tale from critically acclaimed author Lesley Parr.
Hayley is furious that her beloved cat, Judy Garland, keeps sneaking off to the garden of the weird old lady across the street. Lillian, or Boo, as Hayley calls her, hasn't left her house for years, not since the council came up with their plan to knock down the row of houses to make way for a new development.
Everyone in the street dismisses Lillian as an eccentric old woman, but when Hayley is forced to get to know her, an unlikely bond develops between them and Hayley learns the real reason behind Lillian's reluctance to move.
But when a misunderstanding threatens their friendship, Hayley must use all of her ingenuity to repair it.
Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780008680701 |
| Publication date: |
10th April 2025 |
| Author: |
Lesley Parr |
| Illustrator: |
Richard Johnson |
| Publisher: |
Barrington Stoke an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
96 pages |
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Press Reviews
Lesley Parr Press Reviews
“A tender, moving story that really touches the heart. Absolutely beautiful.” Eloise Williams
“I really enjoyed reading this. Lesley Parr’s family and small community settings always have such a timeless, classic feel. I loved the relationship that grows between feisty Hayley and her elderly neighbour. I thought it was an accessible and appealing story of mutual understanding and kindness between generations.” Hilary McKay
“Told with equal amounts of humour and heart, this won- derful story of unexpected understanding and new-found friendship leaves the reader glowing and grinning inside. A perfectly polished gem of a story and feel-good hit.” Keith Gray
Author
About Lesley Parr
Lesley Parr is the author of three novels for children for which she has won the Tír na nÓg Children's Book Awards, the King’s School Chester Book Award and the North Somerset Teachers Book Awards, as well as being shortlisted for many others.
Her debut, The Valley of Lost Secrets, was published in 2021 and was both a Waterstones Book of the Month and longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal. Lesley grew up in South Wales and now lives in England with her husband. A former primary school teacher from a Welsh working-class background, Lesley is passionate about seeing more working-class voices in fiction for children.
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