Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavas

 

Image source: Peter Carnavas

"Just because you couldn't see something, didn't mean it wasn't there."

Video from UQP

Leo's head is full of wonder. 

"His head was filled with questions. Were his footsteps like earthquakes for tiny bugs in the grass. Why was an apple called an apple and cake called cake? What if everyone slept during the day and stayed awake at night?"

One day he sees a white balloon floating in the sky. How long will it float? Will it float forever? Where will it come down? What if the wind blows it higher? Where does the sky end? His mother uses the word forever and so Leo's fascination with space, the universe, aliens, and other worlds begins.

"The whole sky - all that endless space - was suddenly inside him, filling his chest until he thought he might burst. It was the most exciting thing he had ever heard."

Other kids don't exactly reject Leo, but he just doesn't fit in at school. Games are confusing, he takes a long while to answer questions, and all that noise from crowds of kids are just too much for young Leo. Then one day Ralph arrives. Actually, he turns up when Leo sees another white balloon in the tree outside his room. Ralph has come from another planet. Ralph is the perfect friend. Now Leo can cope with life, and he no longer needs to worry that he is disappointing his mum and dad. But Ralph does tell Leo he will stay for "as long as you need me." Does this mean one day Ralph will need to leave?

Allison Tait was also deeply affected by this book - she says it contains a stunning "depiction of loneliness and not fitting in and trying to follow the instructions of well-meaning parents and the sheer overwhelm of trying to make a friend when you're not sure how."  "It's a wonderful ode to the power of the imagination."  Your Kids Next Read podcast from [10.36- 14.49].

I went to the post office on Friday and there were three parcels waiting for collection. One was this book sent by the publisher University of Queensland Press. I can hardly describe the wonderful experience of reading this book this morning. Peter Carnavas has done it again! There is just the right amount of tension in this story to keep you turning the page and just the right depth of emotion. I cared so much about young Leo - I almost held my breath through the first fifty pages. Things are so hard for young Leo. I also needed those hugs that Peter Carnavas includes in the story from mum, dad, his little sister Peg and especially from Ralph.

I know it is very early in the year, but I am certain this book will be a CBCA (Children's Book of Australia) Younger Readers notable title and surely it will also make the short list. Leo and Ralph will be published on 1st March, 2024.

There are so many FABULOUS things about this book - the writing, the character of Leo, his journey through this early part of his life and the beautifully expressive writing of Peter Carnavas. Here are a few phrases which I loved reading:

"Leo stood in the playground in the shade of his big bucket hat. He looked like a tiny beach umbrella."

"Inside his belly, a thick lump of worry washed away like a fistful of sand in the ocean."

'Dundle was orange-brown. And oven-hot. As Leo stood with his family on the footpath of the main street, he felt like a blob of dough crisping into a biscuit."

I also love the wonderful teachers in this story. Every teacher is kind to Leo and accepting of Ralph culminating with Ms Pengari his Grade Four teacher who wears crazy costumes every day (rather like Ms Frizzle from The Magic School bus series). Her clothes match the class topic. Below are a few descriptions. I know Peter Carnavas is a teacher - I wonder if he might be just like Ms Pengari or perhaps he worked with a colleague like her. I do hope she is a real person. So often I read books about 'out of step kids' like Leo and their teachers are totally demonized. I just wanted to meet and hug every one of Leo's teachers and thank them for their kindness. 

Here are some descriptions of Ms Pengari:

"A woman stepped out, wearing a flowery Hawaiian shirt, fluoro yellow boardshorts and a pair of slippers. She had rainbow zinc stiped across her face and she wore a big floppy hat and sunglasses."

"She wore a back witch's hat and carried a plastic wand, ready for the next lesson about the magic of measurement."

"She wore and eyepatch and a pirate hat and waved a plastic sword. 'Yarrrr! What's taking ye so long? we're about to set sail to the land of fractions."    

"She wore a pair of pilot's goggles strapped to her head - they were supposed to be flying to the twin islands of Area and Perimeter ..."

I am sure you know the expression show don't tell - there are two utterly wonderful examples of this in Leo and Ralph - one has to do with Leo's friend Gus and the other is something his mother says close to the end of the book - a precious moment of connection that is sure to make you smile.

Leo and Ralph will arrive in schools over the coming weeks. It is a title that has been included in several standing order selections.

If you read this book with an older reader (say 10+) try to find The Watertower by Gary Crew - I had the illustrations in this book in my mind when Leo saw the strange water tower in his new town of Dundle. 

I do really enjoy books about imaginary friends. My all-time favourite is O'Diddy but it is a very old book and long long out of print sadly.

I would also pair this book with The Year of Billy Miller and A boy called Bat. For older readers I also suggest Things seen from Above and Sunshine by Marion Dane Bauer. Also look for Crenshaw.

Here are the two other junior novels by Peter Carnavas - every Primary school library in Australia (and beyond) should also add these to their library collection.

My Brother Ben

The Elephant