Description
From award-winning storyteller Peter Carnavas comes this stellar novel about space, soccer and the best friend you could ever imagine.
Ralph sat up. His voice was croaky. 'If a shooting star zoomed past right now, what would you wish for?' 'To find another friend like you.'
Leo and Ralph have been best friends ever since Ralph flew down from one of Jupiter's moons. But now Leo's in Grade Four and he's spending too much time in his own imagination. Mum and Dad say it's time to say goodbye. The family are moving to a small country town and they hope Leo might finally find a real friend. But someone like Ralph is very hard to leave behind...
Perfect for kids who enjoy gentle, thoughtful stories like The Wild Robot by Peter Brown and the Polly and Buster series by Sally Rippin.
Review
This story is Peter Carnavas at his absolute best, with a heartfelt, uplifting story and such a strong message of hope.
Leo doesn’t find speaking to others easy. He is more than happy to spend time on his own and explore the stars and planets and all that could be out there.
When Leo first went to school making friends wasn’t easy - until Ralph arrived. Ralph came from Leo’s imagination, so he could be the best possible friend that Leo could (and did) dream up. Many discouraged their friendship but they stayed together all the way to Year 4.
But now Leo's parents are under financial strain and they have decided to move to a small country town. His Mum got the job of Vice-Principal at the high school, and Leo’s Dad will have more time for his art, and for Leo and his outgoing little sister.
Leo has promised that with the move he would leave Ralph behind and try to create real friendships. And he does try. But he is unsure why the big guy Gus would want to be his friend, and his anxiety does cause problems. Will Leo finally be able to say goodbye to Ralph?
This is a beautifully written story exploring a young boy's struggles to fit in. The reader will thoroughly enjoy being taken along on Leo’s journey with both his imaginary and real friendships. A perfect novel for younger readers aged 7-10 years, and would make an ideal classroom group read.
Reviewed by Rob
