Lily's Balloon

written by Katrina Roe
published by Wombat Books (July 2018)

When Lily finds a beautiful, big, shiny balloon she wants to keep it forever… But what if somebody else needs it more? Lily’s Balloon is a gentle, hopeful story about disappointment, loss and learning to let go. Three young lives are connected through one balloon, which touches them in different ways. 

Some Reviews

  • One More Page Podcast by Nat Amoore

  • “This is a touching story of hope, disappointment, and learning how to let go, exquisitely illustrated by Helene Magisson. Magisson’s elegant drawings pulse with colour and form. Each page is a landscape of solid textures, interesting shapes and gentle movement.  Mellow hues and generous white space allow the eyes to wander and discover more detail, like tiny ants crawling along a bending reed.

     Lily’s Balloon is a lovely marriage of imagery and words that demonstrates how lives and situations may be inextricably connected and suggests to children that they are not alone when it comes to facing life’s many disappointments.”

    Boomerang Books by Dimity Powel.

 

  • “We share in a wave of Lily’s emotions, from excitement, disappointment, happiness and loss.  Amongst it all, the reader delicately experiences anticipation and wonder on a balloon’s journey of interconnectedness woven throughout the story.

    The illustrations so beautifully and gently invite readers to connect beyond the diverse and unique characters; encompassing other living creatures and nature’s world around us. It’s a powerful message for children and adults alike, with subtle yet strong illustrations that Helene Magisson has so perfectly presented.”

    Reading Time by Sonia Bestulic.

  • “This is a gentle, philosophical book which guides us towards looking beyond ourselves to see the bigger picture. Lily loses her balloon, but her spirits soar as she watches it drift out towards the clouds, ‘dancing on the wind’.  The balloon’s journey raises the spirits of two other children, each unaware of the balloon’s overall ‘story’, of who it will encounter and what its future will be.

    This is a perfect book for talking about how we are all connected, the deeper meaning of objects, and how our actions, and our journey, affect others.”

    Buzz Words Books by Lucinda Gifford.