The Thing at 52
Ross Montgomery and Richard Johnson
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

This tale is narrated by a little girl who makes friends with the large fluffy Thing that lives close to her home.

Deciding to take him a flower, she and her mother call on the creature and are invited in to what the girl thinks is a strange house with just a single chair, newspaper rugs and a fridge containing only jars of mustard – fifty of them. His response to her question about feeling lonely is answered thus, “All things are lonely sometimes.”

As their friendship blossoms, the two spend more and more time together, sometimes going on adventures,

and the child learns that there are hundreds more Things just like her friend.

The narrator organises a wonderful party for all the Things, but then suddenly the special Thing looks very old

and the worst happens: with a hug as they watch the sunrise, the Thing disappears. All that remains are his old photos and memories of the wonderful times the two had spent together.

This tale of friendship and loss is all the more powerful on account of its gentleness. Death is never mentioned though it can be inferred from the somewhat dreamlike story. Dreamlike too are Richard Johnson’s soft-focus illustrations that have a potency of their own and are a superb complement to Ross’s words.