University of Queensland Press

Ralph sat up. His voice was croaky. ‘If a shooting star zoomed past right now, what would you wish for?’

‘To find another friend like you.’

Leo and Ralph have been best friends ever since Ralph flew down from one of Jupiter’s moons. But now Leo’s older, and Mum and Dad think it’s time to say goodbye to Ralph. When the family moves to a small country town, they hope Leo might finally make a real friend. But someone like Ralph is hard to leave behind.

Winner

Prime Minister’s Literary Award – Children’s Literature

Australian Book Industry Award – Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year

Shortlisted

Queensland Literary Awards – Children’s Book Award

NSW Literary Awards – Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature

Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Award – five to eight years

‘Carnavas is a wonderful, warm-hearted writer, and manages to filter every nugget of philosophy through the eyes of his child narrator.’ The Telegraph

‘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.’ Momo Time to Read

‘Achingly beautiful and life-affirming’ Allison Tait, Your Kid’s Next Read

‘The writing is deceptively simple, each scene a masterpiece of understatement and restraint, but suffused with warmth and humour.’ Storylinks