Beaten by a Balloon

Sam Appleby is a kindly soul whose parents encourage him to share their gentle passions for balloons, sunflowers and roses, but when a neighbour's son acquires both a sabre and a laser gun, Sam's baser instincts begin to surface. Just as his resolve is breaking, an encounter with a spring heeled bank robber in an attempted heist demonstrates how effective the gentlest objects can be in the service of righteous cunning. This picture book is one of Mahy's wonderfully condensed miniature farces, thirteen double page spreads telling a short and silly story with the assistance of Allen's vigorous cartoons, while at the same time conveying a humorous, pithy and non-didactic message about a very relevant moral issue. Highly recommended for independent readers and for reading aloud.