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Wish you were here ISBN: 9780563347484
Venus, Pamela and Zolotow, Charlotte
Published by BBC/Longman, 1990

Two stories about loss. The first, 'Janey', is about a little girl missing her best friend who has moved away. They have always been close, loving the same books, often thinking the same thoughts, and the little girl misses Janey's voice and their walking home from school together. Perhaps they will live close to each other when they grow up. Janey is black, while the little girl telling the story is white. 'My grandson, Lew' is a different approach to the subject of death. Lew wakes in the night missing his grandad, which mum finds unusual as grandad died four years before when Lew was only two. Lew remembers grandad staying with him when his parents were away, and mum and Lew spend a happy time remembering all about him. Lew has not understood that grandad has died and has kept looking for his return. Mum says, 'We will remember him together and neither of us will be so lonely as we would be if we had to remember him alone.' Lovely pastel pictures help produce a wistful sadness.
Age: 6+