Overview

Hayley discovers the importance of giving people a chance in this thought-provoking tale from critically acclaimed author Lesley Parr. Hayley is annoyed that her beloved cat keeps sneaking off to the garden of the eccentric old lady across the street. Lillian, or Boo as Hayley calls her, lives in the last house in the row after the rest were knocked down years ago. Lillian hasn’t stepped outside her front door since. But thanks to an unexpected act of kindness, a surprising friendship develops between them, and Hayley learns the real reason behind the old lady’s reluctance to move. So when a misunderstanding threatens their friendship, can Hayley repair what has been damaged and help Lillian find her way out into the world again? Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

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9780008680701

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Reviews

""Deftly written, with not a word out of place, as with all of Parr's fantastic novels."" – The Bookseller Children's Previews ""A tender, moving story that really touches the heart. Absolutely beautiful."" — Eloise Williams ""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 … an accessible and appealing story of mutual understanding and kindness between generations."" — Hilary McKay ""Told with equal amounts of humour and heart, this wonderful 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 ""A moving and compelling story of the unlikely friendship that grows between an elderly woman and a young girl when they discover that they have more in common than they thought … This is a story that will stay with you."" — Helen Peters ""A beautifully told story that explores the power of genuine, cross-generational friendship. It is both tender and moving."" — Jenny Pearson ""A perfect slice of Lesley Parr brilliance. She’s managed to condense a huge depth of emotion into just a few perfectly-formed chapters. I loved discovering how Hayley and Lillian’s unlikely seeming friendship evolved into a deep connection of warmth, respect and kindness."" — Tom Percival ""Amazing things can happen when you give people a chance! The unlikely friendship between a young girl and her eccentric neighbour takes centre stage in a moving and thought-provoking novella … speaks loudly about how unexpectedly surprising people can prove to be, and how important it is to foster connections with your local community. Beautifully written and conceived, this is a book to savour long after the last page has turned."" – Lancashire Post

Author Information

Lesley Parr is a former primary school teacher and bestselling author. Her debut book, The Valley of Lost Secrets, was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award, amongst others. Lesley’s books have won the Tir na n-Og Award (2022, 2024), Wales Children’s Book of the Year (2023) and were twice shortlisted for the UKLA Book Award. All four of her novels so far have received CILIP Carnegie Medal nominations. Raised in a South Wales steel town, Lesley now lives in England with her husband and rescue cat, Ramsay.

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