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Lost Cause
From award-winning creator Felicita Sala comes a whimsical adventure about a child who’s determined to recover all his misplaced belongings, wherever they may be
A baseball cap. A special sweater covered in dogs. A marble collection. The baseball cap, again.
Pablo just can’t stop losing his at the bus stop, in the park, on a plane, everywhere! When his exasperated parents give him the responsibility of keeping track of everything, Pablo tries—he really does. But his room has become a frightful mess, and with show-and-tell just around the corner, Pablo needs to find his things now more than ever. Where have they gone to? And who can help him now?
Relatably told from a child’s point of view, this playful tale from internationally beloved author-illustrator Felicita Sala explores the secret lives of the countless little things that go missing every day.
A baseball cap. A special sweater covered in dogs. A marble collection. The baseball cap, again.
Pablo just can’t stop losing his at the bus stop, in the park, on a plane, everywhere! When his exasperated parents give him the responsibility of keeping track of everything, Pablo tries—he really does. But his room has become a frightful mess, and with show-and-tell just around the corner, Pablo needs to find his things now more than ever. Where have they gone to? And who can help him now?
Relatably told from a child’s point of view, this playful tale from internationally beloved author-illustrator Felicita Sala explores the secret lives of the countless little things that go missing every day.
41 pages, Library Binding
Published October 7, 2025
1 person is currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Felicita Sala
59 books74 followersFelicita is a self taught illustrator. She graduated in Philosophy from the University of Western Australia. She has worked on several animation projects along with husband Gianluca, but her passion is making picture books. She lives in Rome with Gianluca and their daughter Nina.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 24, 2025
Cutest picture book I have seen in a while! I am so in love with Felicita Sala's illustrations and her protagonist, pig Pablo.
Pablo is scatterbrained: he is always losing things. He leaves a trail of crayons and drawings because he forgot to close his backpack and doesn't even notice. I can relate! Mr. Crunch, Pablo's adorable teddy, is getting lost all the time. The list is neverending (and beautiful to look at): the marble collection, the first baby tooth, the special sweater with the dogs. But where do all these lost things go?
"A Lost Cause" is eye candy with a very warm and tender story that made my heart swell. An absolute favorite!
Pablo is scatterbrained: he is always losing things. He leaves a trail of crayons and drawings because he forgot to close his backpack and doesn't even notice. I can relate! Mr. Crunch, Pablo's adorable teddy, is getting lost all the time. The list is neverending (and beautiful to look at): the marble collection, the first baby tooth, the special sweater with the dogs. But where do all these lost things go?
"A Lost Cause" is eye candy with a very warm and tender story that made my heart swell. An absolute favorite!
January 30, 2026
As someone who is notoriously losing my items, I thought this was a beautiful book. It takes one special character to say something sweet in a children's book and bring me to tears for a 5 star rating. That's when I know this story really touched my heart!
June 24, 2025
We all know someone like Pablo, a little boy was always losing things. His parents went to great lengths to find all of his lost items – toys, his swim shorts (lost in the sea!), his water bottle, his baseball hat, and many other essential and non essential things. One day they have had enough. They tell Pablo that he will have to start looking for his lost things by himself. As you may guess, this does not go well. But an overlooked toy in the back of his wardrobe tells him a secret, and that’s how Pablo discovers the “Committee for Lost and Forgotten Things.”
I always celebrate when a new book by Felicita Sala hits the shelves. Her fabulous artwork (here it’s watercolor, gouache and colored pencils) is realistic, whimsical, textured and always uses a gorgeous color palette. Pablo and his parents, who are pigs, are also human in that their expressions and mannerisms are completely recognizable. And there’s always humor. Kids will love finding Pablo’s toys hidden in his house, sometimes right in front of him. They’ll giggle at the sheep who is enjoying the lost baseball cap, the marbles in the toilet paper tube and the snow globe in the butter dish. They’ll identify with how hard it is to keep your room clean. And they’ll LOVE that there’s a place where everyone’s lost things go. What a great solution to a perennial problem! The two page spread of the room of “lost and forgotten things” is such fun to peruse. Will kids notice that a lost cat follows Pablo home from there and takes up a spot on a kitchen chair? Maybe not the first time they read it…
I always celebrate when a new book by Felicita Sala hits the shelves. Her fabulous artwork (here it’s watercolor, gouache and colored pencils) is realistic, whimsical, textured and always uses a gorgeous color palette. Pablo and his parents, who are pigs, are also human in that their expressions and mannerisms are completely recognizable. And there’s always humor. Kids will love finding Pablo’s toys hidden in his house, sometimes right in front of him. They’ll giggle at the sheep who is enjoying the lost baseball cap, the marbles in the toilet paper tube and the snow globe in the butter dish. They’ll identify with how hard it is to keep your room clean. And they’ll LOVE that there’s a place where everyone’s lost things go. What a great solution to a perennial problem! The two page spread of the room of “lost and forgotten things” is such fun to peruse. Will kids notice that a lost cat follows Pablo home from there and takes up a spot on a kitchen chair? Maybe not the first time they read it…
January 26, 2026
As a person with ADHD who happens to lose things, I had hope that this book was going to address that issue. I thought it would be a great book with a lesson.
Pablo appears to have ADHD; however, nothing was said about that. He loses stuff and his mother calls him "scatterbrained" and later in the book he is called a "Bubble Brain" because he loses things and can't remember where to find them. He also suffers from, what I would describe as a panic attack, when he cleans and realizes how many of his things are actually missing.
This book is supposed to teach about responsibility I guess; however, not all children or adults for that matter have brains that work in the same manner. They are not "scatterbrained" or "bubble heads", their brains just work differently. Granted these names were supposed to be "funny", but if they were said to real children with the same problems, that would not be funny.
Very disappointed in this book.
Pablo appears to have ADHD; however, nothing was said about that. He loses stuff and his mother calls him "scatterbrained" and later in the book he is called a "Bubble Brain" because he loses things and can't remember where to find them. He also suffers from, what I would describe as a panic attack, when he cleans and realizes how many of his things are actually missing.
This book is supposed to teach about responsibility I guess; however, not all children or adults for that matter have brains that work in the same manner. They are not "scatterbrained" or "bubble heads", their brains just work differently. Granted these names were supposed to be "funny", but if they were said to real children with the same problems, that would not be funny.
Very disappointed in this book.
November 13, 2025
A boy loses his things al the time, and he's parents give up trying to help him. They say he has to find everything himself. But when he can't find something for show and tell he realizes that maybe he does need to look. But where? Well a talking rock helps him find where all the lost things go. Was pretty silly and the talking rock bit threw me as I thought it was going to be a more realistic story that talks about ADHD (and tips on how to remember where things are). But I think kids who loses stuff alot will relate, and parents will enjoy the humor of having a kid who always misplaces things.
November 19, 2025
Sala can do no wrong in my humble opinion and this book is a primer as to why: a kid's world with realistic kid behavior, a moment of realization, a dash of magic, and a loving conclusion, all wrapped up in splendid illustration. Thank you, Felicita.
February 5, 2026
Pablo’s parents want him to learn to be responsible for all the things he was constantly losing. The rest of the story fell flat for me. I feel like this is one of those recently written books that just don’t make much logical sense.
November 9, 2025
Fave illustrator. Beautiful layers of color.
December 23, 2025
I wish I had a rock to help me find all my lost things!
January 2, 2026
Just a tiny bit wordy for a picture book. But overall, the story is very good. A good lesson without feeling like there's a lesson to be learned.
January 15, 2026
Stunning art!
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February 3, 2026I adore this author. Everything they make has so much life to it. I loved looking though the Council of Lost Things and I'm sure any curious kid would too.
March 6, 2026
Oh my word, this book is so cute! It's a great book about being responsible for your things.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews