The Long Way Home

By Author / Illustrator

Corrinne Averiss, Kristyna Litten

Genre

Early Readers & Young Fiction

Age range(s)

Publisher

Little Tiger Press Group

ISBN

9781788951685

Format

Hardback

Published

04-03-2021

Synopsis

A range of simple stories for new readers, with beautiful colour illustrations.

Nanu and Otto are off on a climbing adventure - to the top of Lion Mountain! Otto is a born explorer, just like his grandma, who is brave and bold and can't resist the urge for adventure. But Nanu is having a forgetting day. She forgets her backpack and the name of the mountain... and then she forgets the way home and leads them deep into the forest. Can Otto remember all the things Nanu taught him about being a great elephant explorer and guide the expedition home?

A tender story celebrating the importance of keeping memories alive by Corrinne Averiss, the acclaimed author of A DOT IN THE SNOW and THE BOY ON THE BENCH, with illustrations by Kristyna Litten, author and illustrator of CHICKENS CAN'T SEE IN THE DARK.

Reviews

This small hardback book is part of the Little Tiger Colour Fiction readers, designed to support children moving from picture books to their first chapter books. The book itself is sumptuous - a lovely textured cover, small enough to fit comfortably in little hands with an engaging picture front and back. These books will take pride of place on any bookshelf and will be regularly picked up for a quick read.

The Long Way Home tells the story of a little elephant called Otto and his Grandma, Nanu. They live with their herd on the African Plains and decide to set off an adventure together to visit Lion Mountain. Unfortunately, Nanu is having a forgetting day - she forgets her backpack, the name of the mountain, what a bird is and even the way back home. Luckily brave little Otto has learned everything she knows and is able to help out, leading them safely back home.

This sweet little story will resonate with any child who has an older family member prone to having their own 'forgetting days'. It would start a conversation about dementia and how important memories are, and that the person you love who starts to forget things is still that person you love. Good for school library or classroom, or a gift for a reader developing in confidence, or perfect to share with a younger child who might be worrying about their own Nanu's memory.

96 pages / Reviewed by Wendy Kelly, teacher