John Burningham brings us this poetic tale about a special friendship between a lonely girl and her secret friend, Aldo. With Aldo around, sunshine and laughter fill the little girl's life and she forgets her everyday fears.

About the Author

John Burningham is one of the most prestigious and well-loved illustrators working in the children's book field today. Trained at the Central School of Art, his first picture book, Borka was published in 1963. He has won the Kate Greenaway Award twice for Borka and Mr Gumpy's Outing, and has enjoyed a distinguished career spanning over 45 years.

Reviews

Aldo, a tall, scarf-wearing rabbit, must be kin to the inimitable Harvey of stage and screen fame. He not only comes to the rescue of this book's narrator when she is dispirited, he also makes troublemakers and nightmares disappear and takes her to ``wonderful places.'' The two walk on a tightrope stretched over the rooftops, go ice- skating and take a ride in a rowboat. Finally, she concedes that some days she forgets all about her pal, ``but I know that if things get really bad . . . Aldo will always be there.'' The stark, at times bland renditions of the girl sans Aldo--forlorn against ample white backgrounds--contrast sharply with the pictures depicting their shared adventures. In these Burningham superimposes the light figures against abstract, often dark-toned paintings. The effect is forceful, though it may prove somewhat alarming to younger readers. In Burningham's visionary take on the imaginary friend theme, his visuals are more striking than the minimal text, which lacks the verve of his Hey! Get Off Our Train . Ages 3-7. (Mar.)

"A touching portrait of a solitary child with an imaginary friend called Aldo, a rabbit just about her size, who can be counted upon to turn up 'when things get really bad'...Aldo is a quietly comforting figure, tenderly absorbing the feelings suggested in the deftly understated text and the wonderfully expressive illustrations, with their agile line and Turneresque spreads...An unusually perceptive, unsentimental treatment of a familiar theme."