This beautifully observed story will resonate with children and adults alike and will repay reading over and over. Mia and Ben are best friends – the joy of their relationship perfectly depicted in Richard Jones’s illustrations which are full of the details of children’s lives but with a richness of colour and texture and composition that heightens the emotions. Everything changes when the sort of domestic tragedy familiar to lots of children happens – Ben’s family move away. At first the two are lonely and sad, but the story shows that their friendship still connects them and always will. Powerful feelings are expressed delicately and poignantly through words and pictures and this is an outstanding picture book.
Mia and Ben are the very best of friends. They live side by side at the edge of a great, wide lake and together they sail, and swing, and sing. But the thing they love the most is making paper planes. They dream of one day being able to make a plane that will fly all the way across the lake, and their planes become more and more intricate... But one day: terrible news. Ben's family are moving far, far away. How can Mia and Ben stay best friends if they are so far apart? And how will they ever realise their dream of making a plane that can fly across their lake? Find out in this moving, lyrical story of friendship and flight.
‘This book is so deep and at the same time so stunning in its honest simplicity that it has already become one of my favourites’ – Tracey Corderoy, author of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam
‘Helmore’s narrative is touching in its gentle nature…Richard Jones’s illustrations mirror the soft gentle tone…Such a warm and endearing read’ – My Book Corner
‘This is an utterly charming book…What makes this book extra special is the way in which the text and illustrations work together’ – The Bookbag
Author
About Jim Helmore
Born in the west country, Jim now lives in London and works in the licensing industry. He has written several picture books, including the award winning Letterbox Lil and Stripy Horse series. In his spare time Jim loves to grow vegetables and this gave him the idea for a seriously splatty story: Oh No, Monster Tomato! RJ grew up in Leamington Spa before moving down to Devon to study illustration at the University of Plymouth in Exeter and never went home again! After finishing his degree he stayed on to complete a P.hD. While working on his thesis he got a 'temporary job' in Exeter's Central Library and somehow found himself working there for more than ten years. When not at his desk he enjoys bobbing about in the sea, swimming in rivers, walking in woods, listening to audiobooks on the bus and stroking the cat. He now works full time as an author and illustrator.
