The Bridges by Tom Percival

With busy parents and no books in her life Mia lives in a grey sad world. Then one day a kind person leaves a book on her doorstep. If you look closely you can see the giver of this gift. Mia begins to read her new book and the world opens up. There are adventures and colours and new friends and best of all she has something wonderful to share.

Publisher blurb: Mia feels alone; so alone that it's as if she lives on a small island, far out to sea. But then one day, Mia is given a book - the first she has ever been able to call her own. As Mia reads the book, bridges appear and her island fills with colour and life. And the more Mia reads, the stronger the bridges become, opening up a world of connection and hope...  Because a book can take you anywhere...

See inside The Bridges here. 

This is a book you could use as a jumping off point to talk about the 2025 Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book Week slogan.

Here are some review comments about The Bridges:

This is a must for every book corner and would be a great read-aloud for Years 1 and 2. With older children, I can see it being used as a start of term stimulus for a wider project about books and reading. It would elicit some interesting discussions about the metaphor of the bridges and islands. What would you find on the islands you visit through reading? Just Imagine

The illustrations connect the reader closely with the child in the book, moving the colour palette from sombre greys at the start to sharper, bright colours as Mia begins to cross the bridges. Books for Keeps

Tom Percival uses the metaphor of bridges throughout the book to demonstrate how reading, words and books can lead us to new worlds and can help us to make incredible connections. Mia follows bridges which grow stronger the more she reads. She visits magical worlds, discovers new facts and makes friendships all because of the power of reading. Now a confident, volitional reader, Mia knows how to help others who look lost and alone – she offers her book to them and continues to build even more bridges. Books for Topics

Look for these other splendid books by Tom Percival:

The Invisible; The River; The Sea Saw

The Wrong Shoes by Tom Percival

From the opening lines of this book a reader will know this will be a story filled with raw emotions, pain and sadness but hopefully also, well, hope!

"This is no fairy tale. Not unless it's one of those really old fashioned ones, where basically a whole load of terrible stuff happens to some poor unsuspecting kid. ... But you know what? Even in those stories where people get ripped in half, chewed up and spat out, eventually there's a happy ending. And that's the difference, see? Because this is just my life, and nothing's guaranteed."

Will is a high school student. He lives with his dad who has lost his job and has been in a workplace accident. Mum left some time ago and she lives in a different part of the city with her new partner. There is no money which means there is very little food and certainly no extras - go back and read the title - Will IS wearing the wrong shoes. No, this does not mean they are not the latest fashion though of course that is true. But there is more to it. These shoes are wrong because they are old, second hand, and have a split in the sole. When it rains, and it seems to rain quite a lot in this story, Will's feet get wet. His feet are cold and Will is cold and he is also hungry. These shoes also mean he stands out at school and is an easy target for bullies and cruel comments. Will also has no school supplies, and his school bag is from years ago. His one consolation is that he loves to draw. But as the story opens Will bumps into the school bully. It is raining, his shoes are wrong and then Chris Tucker (the bully) grabs Will's bag and his precious notebook filled with drawings is thrown into a puddle. And this is only the first of a series of utterly dreadful events.

Will does have one true friend but Cameron has such different life circumstances. His family are well off. He lives in a large comfortable home, and he has plenty to eat and he has in fact just been given expensive new shoes. In an act of kindness Cameron offers his old shoes to Will, but Will cannot see this as a kindness. He thinks Cameron's offer comes from pity. Will is way too proud to accept charity and so this precious friendship is shattered.

Meanwhile Will gains some information about Chris Tucker. He sees him being recruited into a gang of older kids who commit crimes around the town such as shoplifting and probably worse. Chris suddenly changes his manner towards Will. He seems to understand what it is like to live on the 'wrong side of town'. But Will needs to be careful because Chris has his own purposes for befriending Will and before too long Will is going to find himself in a shop stealing something for Chris. 

Tom Percival does give his readers one tiny glimpse of hope early in this story when Will sees a huge and majestic owl. Later in his art class at school he draws this special creature and his art teacher pays Will a huge compliment.

"That's incredible,' says Mr Prince. 'Really, it's remarkable ...' His warm deep voice pauses ... Usually I'm about as happy to get a compliment as a cat is to be sprayed with cold water, but on this occasion I smile. He's right. It really is something special - even I can see that."

Then there is the good news about an art competition with a huge money prize but remember those opening sentences I shared at the start of this post. Perhaps real life is not actually about happy endings?

Books enable us to see into lives we have no awareness of, and they also can reflect our own situations back at us, making us feel seen. I hope that any child who reads this book and is currently struggling will take Will’s resilience, determination and hope to heart and will keep going, keep working as hard as they can to do the best that they can, despite the obvious unfairness of it all. Tom Percival in The Big Issue

You will hold your breath reading this book. In fact I had to keep putting it down and desperately hoping other terrible things would not happen to Will. I am so glad I have read this book. The writing is so powerful - I was hugely invested in Will. I wanted to help him, talk to him, comfort him and guide him to stop and think about his choices and reactions. I kept hoping he would reach out to the adults in his life - his dad (he thinks he needs to protect him); his mum and her partner; and his teachers especially his wonderful art teacher. 

Huge congratulations to Tom Percival on his first full length novel. Here is an interview with Books for Keeps. The interview says:  ‘Realistically I wanted it to be a good story, a good journey, for people to feel transported. I want them to feel Will is real, that they’ve met him and understand him a bit. I want people like Will to feel seen, for people to make an effort to understand them even if they’ve misjudged them, and I want the Wills to feel that they’re right to be angry, that things aren’t fair and shouldn’t be like that.’

I picked this book up from one of our large chain bookstores in the city. They have a display shelf as you walk into the children's book section with the new release titles. The bottom shelves are usually Middle Grade and Younger and then as you go up the shelves the titles move to Young Adult. The Wrong Shoes was on a low shelf BUT from my reading I'd like to suggest it is a Young Adult title - I would say 12+. 

It is, at times, quite a dark tale. I felt so desperately sorry for Will, and his emotional turmoil is so raw sometimes it's very moving. And yet there is always this glimmer of hope underneath. The hope of things turning out for the best in the end. The story ends in a positive manner, but gratifyingly without an unbelievable 'everything is brilliant' ending, making it a more realistic and therefore satisfying conclusion. The Bookbag (this is a fabulous review but she suggests ages 9+ but I think this book is way too confronting for that age.)

• ‘An extraordinary, powerful and moving book that has the potential to change lives.’ Hannah Gold
• ‘Every chapter is full of experience & empathy & most importantly, heart’ Phil Earle
• ‘Reading fiction is about walking in the shoes of people whose lives are very different to ours and allowing more readers to see themselves in stories. The Wrong Shoes is the perfect example of both – the right book at the right time’ Tom Palmer
• ‘A brilliant book – such a perfect marriage of words and illustrations and an important story told with real heart’ Christopher Edge
• ‘A hopeful, honest, big-hearted read. You’ll be rooting for the main character, Will, from the very first page . . .’ Clara Vulliamy

Here are some other books I recommend. They are all for readers aged 11+ but they have similar themes and tone:

The Truth as told to Mason Buttle

Shelter

A different dog

Night bus Hero

As right as rain

I recognised the author Tom Percival on the cover of The Wrong Shoes.  I really enjoyed some of his previous picture book titles:

The Invisible

The River

The Sea Saw

Herman's Letter

Twelve days of Letters to Santa Day Five - Herman's Letter

 

This is my fifth letter book set at Christmas. Confession: I had no idea this book related to Christmas. Looking at my original post from 2014 I did not add that as a label but the final scenes in this heartwarming story do culminate at Christmas. I realise now the cover looks quite Christmasy with the tree, snow and woolly scarf. 

Dear Herman,

I hope you are well.  I haven't received ANY of your letters.  There must be a problem with the post or something.
I miss you so much!
You're my best friend in the whole wide world.
Please say you'll come and visit me soon.

Love Henry

Herman does write back but then he has a terrific idea - he will deliver the letter himself.  He embarks on a long and dangerous journey made even harder by the fact that it is now time for this bear to hibernate. 

Herman is found snoring in the snow. Clearly, they need a postman to make this delivery. Later the next day an enormous parcel arrives addressed to Henry. Inside Henry finds Herman but he is asleep because he is hibernating. On the second last page we see Henry surrounded by Christmas decorations with his tree and a Christmas card on the mantle. Herman is sleeping on the floor and the noise of those snores is so loud Henry has put corks into his ears. Turn to the last page and Spring has arrived. Herman has woken up and this pair of unlikely friends can now share lots of fun times as seen in the photographs scattered across the page.

It is going to be a hot summer here in Australia - Herman's Letter is a terrific cold story set in the snow - it might cool you and your young reading companion down on a hot day. Click the labels at the bottom of this post to find more of my Christmas letter books and more heart-warming books about unlikely friends.

The River by Tom Percival

In this book the river itself is a metaphor for the turbulent emotions that a young boy experiences when his precious old dog Atlas dies. BUT none of this is stated explicitly in the text.  

When we meet Rowan he is content. Look at this sentence and think about the words encircled and hug - how do they make you feel?

"Rowan sat beneath his favourite tree, looking out at the hills which encircled his home like a hug. Rowan loved everything about this place, but most of all, he loved ... the river."

The river can be quiet and playful, wild and angry. In winter though, his frozen river makes him feel "as cold and alone as the moon." (you can see this page here)

Spring arrives but the river stays frozen and Rowan continues to feel a deep deep sadness. Summer arrives with flowers in the fields and bird song but the river remains frozen. 

"Then just as autumn was approaching and the leaves were beginning to curl, something remarkable happened."

Rowan finds an injured bird and now he can pour his love onto another living creature. As the bird is healed and Rowan watches it fly high in the sky, the river finally breaks free and the ice melts.

The author’s love of the countryside shines through in the stunning natural panoramas in a palette of colours similar to a Constable landscape. Little Parachutes

The river is a character in its own right and provides a metaphor for Rowan’s emotions. It isn’t the same each day – sometimes it’s calm. Or playful. Or angry. But as Rowan comes to terms with his loss he realises that, just like the river, his own emotions are ever changing. Story Snug

Subtle, beautiful and thought provoking. LoveReading4Kids

I highly recommend this book for your Primary school library.  It is such a gentle and affirming book on the topic of the death of a loved pet.  I don't think I have read another book which so gently tackles this complex topic.  Take a look some other posts about grief and emotions by reading about these books:

Toby

A Last Goodbye

The Rabbit Listened

Here are some other books by Tom Percival. He is such a wonderful illustrator and storyteller:

The Invisible

The Sea Saw

Herman's Holiday

Herman's Letter

The Invisible by Tom Percival

"A tender, important story about really seeing those around us - and how we all have a right to belong."

Isabel and her family move to another part of the city. Her parents have not been able to pay their bills or rent. The book does not use these words but it is clear they have been forced into social housing. The tall apartment towers look dreadful. This part of the city is bleak and cold and unfriendly. 

Gradually Isabel becomes invisible but as she becomes invisible she notices the other invisible people around her - the homeless; the elderly; the disabled; and the newly arrived migrants.

Isabel is a girl of action. She stops to help an elderly lady plant flowers in a old food tins; she talks to the young immigrant boy who is repairing a bike; and with her family she organises to paint some of the dull walls in the local streets.

This is such a simple book on a complex topic which would be absolutely perfect to share with young children aged 6+. I am certain you will see this book listed for UK awards over the coming months. I am pleased that I have discovered this book which was published in February and the paperback edition will arrive in July, 2021. I highly recommend this as an essential purchase for all Primary school libraries. With an older group of students it would be interesting to spend some time talking about the title and what it implies. Notice the word "the". Yes Isabel becomes invisible but what about the others in our community?  Here is an extended and heart-felt review. You can see the whole book here.

We could all do with being more like Isobel. The Book Bag

Compassionate, thoughtful, and a lovely story to read aloud together. Book Trust

As companion reads I would look for these

I saw Pete and Pete saw me

It's a no money day

The Secret Sky Garden

The Old Man

At the back of The Invisible, Tom Percival talks about the poverty of his own childhood. His family lived in a small caravan with no electricity or running water for six years. 

"However, despite our lack of money, despite the jumble sale clothes and hand-me-down shoes there were two things I had plenty of - love and books."  "There are around four million children living in poverty in the UK ... these children are ignored, which is why I wanted to explore the idea of invisibility in this story."

Take a look at my reviews of other books by Tom Percival:

The Sea Saw

Herman's Holiday

Herman's letter

The Sea Saw by Tom Percival

Sofia's Bear is old. He has been passed down from her grandfather to her mother and then onto Sofia. 

"He was less like a toy and more like a friend."

This loved Teddy Bear joins in with every activity - picnics, forest walks and even a day at the beach but it is at the beach that disaster strikes. As Sofia and her dad rush to catch their bus, after a storm suddenly interrupts their day, the old bear is accidentally dropped and left on the beach. 

"And nobody saw, but the Sea."

Now the long journey begins. Over days, and weeks and months and years Teddy travels. All Sofia has is her memory and his little blue scarf. Finally one day the Sea takes the bear along a river and down a stream. He is found by a young girl who takes the old bear home to show her grandmother. 

"You see, nothing is ever truly lost if you keep it in your heart."

There are a couple of interesting things to notice about this book.  Firstly Sofia is given the bear "and from the day Sofia was born, the bear had kept her company too."  There is no mother in the story only a photo on the wall of a pregnant mum holding the bear. Sofia is seen playing alone with her bear and on the trip to the zoo her father is her only companion.  When Sofia returns home without her bear she takes a small piece of his blue scarf and places it inside a locket where we can see there is also a photo of her mum. In the final scenes when Sofia has become a grandmother we can see she is still wearing her locket. The second thing to notice are the little touches of humour. Dad reads a newspaper on the train with headlines "Lots of things are happening in the world today" "Giant squirrels attack!" and "Mount Fuji falls over (but gets picked up again after)". 

I do enjoy stories about lost toys that are eventually reunited with their owner - I'm thinking of Ducky's Nest and Finding Monkey Moon. I also like stories where toys have connections across generations such as Humprehy's Bear and, even though it is not a toy, I also thought of The Dress and the Girl by Camille Andros and The Little Boat.

Ducky's Nest

Finding Monkey Moon

Humphrey's Bear

The Little Boat

Other classic books on this topic are Dogger; Where are you, Blue Kangaroo?; and Nothing.

Here is a photo of my treasured teddy. He was not lost but he did go for a swim in an ocean pool!

I loved two previous books by Tom Percival:

Herman's holiday by Tom Percival

Herman's Holiday is the second book about this special pair of friends.  Take a look at Herman's letter which is a book I discovered exactly one year ago.

Herman's holiday has such important messages:

• We are all different
• Not everyone likes the same thing
• Sometimes you need to consider another point of view
• Kindness is important

Herman and Henry decide to take a holiday but their funds are low.  They settle on a camping trip. Herman is a born camper. He takes all the right gear and he even knows how to keep his donkey moving in the right direction.  Henry has the opposite experience.  When they arrive at their camping spot they each compose a postcard to send home.

Herman writes

"Dear Uncle Harold

We're having an AMAZING time camping!

Henry's really getting into the swing of it.

He even went for a swim last night.

What fun!"

Henry writes

"Dear Aunt Winifred,

Have you ever been camping?  Well,

if you haven't, DON'T, it's AWFUL.

I'm cold, soaking wet and bored.

PS Can you please post me some hot chocolate, I forgot to bring any."

Herman finally notices that Henry is not having a great time.  His solution is kind, ingenious and utterly perfect.

One special feature of this book is the 'real' postcards that you can lift and read. Take a look at the author web site.  The publisher site has a set of activities to use with this book.  This video shows you how to draw Herman.  Here is a detailed review.

Herman's letter by Tom Percival

One of my favourite ways to discover new books is when they are recommended by the readers in my school library.  A few weeks ago we held our annual library Donate-a-book.  A big thank you to the generous parents who supported our library in this way. We have been able to add over 800 new books into our collection.

Among these books was Herman's letter and when it was returned earlier this week I asked the little girl and her mum if they had enjoyed it.  Their answer was a resounding YES!.  The mum then turned the pages and shared her favourite parts - both especially liked the 'real' letters that form part of this story.

This book shows the way illustrations beyond the text in the best picture books.  Think about these words - "They had great fun inventing their own games and they even had a secret club with a secret code and a TOP SECRET handshake."  Now I will tell you Herman is a large brown bear and Henry is a small, red raccoon.  I adore their handshake.

Life for these special friends is good until one day Henry moves away. Henry misses his friend and so he writes letters but sadly the letters only serve to make Herman feel jealous.  Herman does not write back to Henry until this important letter arrives :

"Dear Herman
I hope you are well.  I haven't received ANY of your letters.  There must be a problem with the post or something.
I miss you so much!
You're my best friend in the whole wide world.
Please say you'll come and visit me soon.
Love Henry"

Herman does write back but then he has a terrific idea - he will deliver the letter himself.  He embarks on a long and dangerous journey made even harder by the fact that it is now time for this bear to hibernate.  The twist at the end will make you smile.  Take time to watch the trailer made by the publisher.  Here is a set of teaching ideas.

If you enjoy Herman's letter then you should also look for Toot and Puddle Wish you were here by Holly Hobbie and Christmas Bear by Sal Murdocca.