Don't Let Go

by
Jeanne Willis
Illustrator: Tony Ross

A small girl desperately wants to visit her father, but mum’s too busy. If only dad would teach her to ride her bike, she could come and go as she pleased.

Together, in the park, the father helps his daughter to ride. It’s frightening at first, but her courage grows until finally, she’s off – then, reassuringly, returns.

This simple, rhyming story about a father and daughter beautifully captures the necessary – but painful – process of letting go in any parent/child relationship. It also introduces to a child the concept that a parent might miss them too!

Ross’s watercolours capture the sweeping sense of space and weather in the park, also the unwritten stories that run in counterpoint to Willis’s understated, powerful text.

Publisher: Andersen Press

Tony Ross

Tony Ross is one of the best-known creators of picture books. He trained at the Liverpool School of Art before working as a cartoonist, a graphic designer, at an advertising agency and as a University lecturer. His most popular books include his interpretations of fairy tales, the Dr Xargle books and the much-loved Little Princess series, which has been turned into a highly successful animated television series. Tony Ross has also illustrated many children’s fiction titles and in his extremely prolific career he has illustrated more than 1200 books.
Jeanne Willis

Jeanne wrote her first book when she was five years old and hasn't stopped writing since. She now has over eighty titles to her name, including picture books, novels and television scripts. She has also won numerous awards, including the Children's Book Award, the Sheffield Children's Book Award and the Silver Smarties Prize. Her teen novel, Naked Without a Hat (Faber) was shortlisted for the Whitbread Award in 2004. She often takes inspiration from dreams and interesting conversations with strangers.

Jeanne Willis