The Wishing Balloons, written and illustrated by Jonathan D. Voss. Henry Holt and Company, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2022. $25.99 ages 4 and up

 

"I wondered if he wanted to go 
back to where he used to live. I 
thought about where I would go
if I could fly. Then I remembered 
my kite ... 

... and what happened when I 
took it out on a much-too-windy
day.

That was the first time I ever flew."

Dot is keen to meet the boy who has just moved into the neighborhood. She watches from behind a tree as he wanders over to a swing in his yard. He looks sad and is holding tightly to a box with unidentified contents. Dot introduces herself, finds out his name is Albert, and he doesn't want to play. Instead, he returns to the house. 

Readers watch Albert in a series of somber scenes as he writes a note, ties it to a golden balloon and sends it skyward. All the while, Dot is surmising the reasons he might not have accepted her invitation to play. 

"Maybe he didn't like playing with girls?

Or maybe I didn't have good enough toys ..."

When she discovers the balloon outside her bedroom window, she learns it is a wish written to a star. It makes her wonder even more. It brings up a memory about flying when her kite pulled her off the ground and her father was there to save her. Maybe a kite would make Albert happy. It does ... ' just a little'. A second note lands in the neighbor's yard where a 'bear' lives. She wants to save it from destruction, and is very careful in doing so. 

This time the wish is for a dog who can listen. Dot thinks she might have just what Albert needs. It makes Albert smile again ... 'just a little'. Albert still refuses to play. Dot, wanting to be a good friend and being ever thoughtful, finds the third balloon in a tree. She doesn't like heights, but that doesn't stop her from climbing up and up. This time the note is about Albert's dad and how he misses him and wishes he could come back. It brings to the surface warm thoughts of her own dad, and sparks an idea that is absolutely perfect. 

This is one of my favorite books this year. It is absolutely beautifully designed and illustrated. Textured, created in glorious colors, and with indistinct images, it conjures up memories and even dreams. This allows emotions to be the center of attention. Albert is so evidently filled with heartache. It is tender tale of loss and the value of real friendship. We would all do well to follow in Dot's procession.