What is Lily’s Balloon about?
We all need a gentle reminder to stop, look around and see the big picture sometimes. 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 takes readers on a journey that reminds us that everyone is connected in our big world. After Lily loses her balloon, it is found by Tom, who needs to slow down and practice mindfulness to capture beauty with his camera. The balloon then floats on and brings comfort to Amelia who misses her father. Who knows what joy it may bring to the next person who finds it?
Author Katrina Roe says she wrote Lily’s Balloon with the idea that a balloon’s journey could show that people are all interconnected, even if they don’t realise it. “The story became much more about letting go of loss and disappointment while recognising that one person’s loss is often another person’s gain … if only we could see the big picture.”
Main themes
One of the downsides of being part of a hectic world (in which we’re all encouraged to pursue our dreams) is that we don’t always notice what is going on for the people around us. The main idea in Lily’s Balloon is that a child gives something up that she wants very much, but in doing so, helps other children who need it more. The book also encourages mindfulness and observation.
“All the characters in the story find peace, comfort and beauty when they stop looking down and choose to look up. We can see things so much more clearly when we look outwards and upwards instead of focusing on ourselves,” says Katrina.
Why we love the book
Losing something special can make us feel sad, but imagine how much better we’d feel if we used our imaginations to wonder who could be finding joy in it next, and what adventures it might be going on? We love a book that encourages empathy in kids and encourages them to find a silver lining in every situation.
Picture books they might like if they like Lily’s Balloon
There are some wonderful books about children who lose precious possessions that either find their way back home or end up making someone else happy. A couple of great ones are:
The Teddy Bear by David McPhail
Bun Bun Button by Patricia Polacco
About the author
Katrina Roe is an author and radio presenter. She can be heard each weekday on Sydney’s Hope 103.2 radio, where she is the host of Hope Mornings.
Katrina’s books tackle real-life issues she has faced first-hand. She lives in Sydney with her husband, Chris, a television news producer, and her three gorgeous girls.
Lily’s Balloon is published by Wombat Books and you can buy a copy here
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