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Two Sides

by Polly Ho-Yen, illustrated by Binny Talib

Interest age: 6 to 11
Reading age: 7+

Published by Stripes, 2019

  • Short stories

About this book

Lula and Lenka are the best of friends since they were born, despite being the total opposite of each other. Lula likes talking and dogs, and is disorganised and always late; Lenka loves drawing, has a cat, is always neat and on time. They make a perfect pair.

One morning, when Lula is rushing to get to school in time, she forgets to pack Lenka’s pencil case she borrowed to make her present. But Lenka is upset that she didn’t make the effort to remember the most important thing she needed that day. Suddenly they are no longer friends and neither of them want to make the first move to say sorry. Will they ever manage to make up?

Polly Ho-Yen beautifully explores the complexity of friendships and learning that there are always two sides of a story. Accompanied with gorgeous illustrations that capture the ups and downs of friendships, this is a wonderful story highlights the importance of empathy and the art of listening and understanding others and their differences.

About the author

Polly Ho-Yen is a writer based in Bristol. Her debut novel, Boy in the Tower, was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award, Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the Federation of Children's Book Groups Book Award. All three of her middle-grade novels have been nominated for the Carnegie Medal.

Following her experiences working as a primary school teacher in south London, Polly puts these places and communities centre-stage in her narratives. She aims to create stories firmly rooted in a world that young people will know and recognise, even when a science fiction or fantastical element creeps in. Polly is an Arvon tutor and regularly runs writing workshops in primary and secondary schools across the country as well as working for Bristol libraries, where she set up the Bristol Teen Book Award, a book award for Bristol secondary schools which celebrates inclusivity.

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