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Looking Up
Pete is hoping – desperately hoping – for a telescope. There’s nothing he wants more for his birthday. But when a mysterious card arrives in the mail, what Pete wants is turned upside down.
36 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2017
10 people want to read
About the author
Sally Murphy
62 books27 followersSally Murphy is an Australian author of over 30 children's books. She's also the slightly crazy mother of six beautiful kids. You'll find bits of her buried somewhere in every one of her books. She loves reading, writing, and speaking about reading and writing.
PEARL VERSES THE WORLD won the 2010 Australian Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature as well as the 2010 Australian Speech Pathology Book of the Year Award for Best Book for Language Development. It was also an Honour Book in the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Awards.
TOPPLING won the children's book category of both the Queensland and Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, and was short-listed in the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Awards.
PEARL VERSES THE WORLD won the 2010 Australian Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature as well as the 2010 Australian Speech Pathology Book of the Year Award for Best Book for Language Development. It was also an Honour Book in the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Awards.
TOPPLING won the children's book category of both the Queensland and Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, and was short-listed in the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 27, 2018
I have been a fan of Sally Murphy's works for a half dozen years now. The problem is, is that, many of them are not available in North America. When I came across this one, I was very excited that the eBook edition was available in Canada at the same time the physical book was published in Australia. In the three books I have read by Sally Murphy she has a way or penetrating to the heart of a matter. And this book hits on the hearts mark.
This is a very powerful book, in part because in society today we could see these events happening. A child caught in a struggle either between parents or between parents and grandparents. Part of the description for this book is:
"Looking Up by Sally Murphy is a moving story about family, forgiveness and the stars. Pete lives with his Mum. His dad lives far away and, as far as Pete knows, that's all the family he has. Until one day, just before Pete turns ten, a birthday card arrives in the mail with stars on the front and signed 'Love, Grandad'. Mum reveals the card is from her own father, but when she won't give Pete more information he decides to locate this mysterious Grandad for himself. Pete and his best friend Tyler use the phone book to find Grandad and even visit his home. When Grandad insists they need Mum's okay to meet, Pete spills all to Mum."
It is not a long book, and it has wonderful illustrations by Aska. But it is the story that has the most impact. Pete has loved the stars his whole life, and all he really wants for his birthday is a telescope. But days before his birthday the mysterious card appears, addressed to Pete, and he never gets mail. The writing he does not recognize, and when he reads the card and it is signed 'Grandpa' it sends his mind reeling. So, he decides to take matters into his own hands. And that is when he slowly learns the whole story.
This story captures what a child can feel and experience in the middle of struggle between adults. It also captures what happens when people say things in pain and hurt, and those issues get left unresolved for years. It shows how we can make mistakes in our grief, mistakes that will haunt us for a long time to come.
This book is masterfully done. It is just so sad that we need books like this. Another excellent read by Sally Murphy and as mentioned the illustrations by Aska are wonderful.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Sally Murphy.
This is a very powerful book, in part because in society today we could see these events happening. A child caught in a struggle either between parents or between parents and grandparents. Part of the description for this book is:
"Looking Up by Sally Murphy is a moving story about family, forgiveness and the stars. Pete lives with his Mum. His dad lives far away and, as far as Pete knows, that's all the family he has. Until one day, just before Pete turns ten, a birthday card arrives in the mail with stars on the front and signed 'Love, Grandad'. Mum reveals the card is from her own father, but when she won't give Pete more information he decides to locate this mysterious Grandad for himself. Pete and his best friend Tyler use the phone book to find Grandad and even visit his home. When Grandad insists they need Mum's okay to meet, Pete spills all to Mum."
It is not a long book, and it has wonderful illustrations by Aska. But it is the story that has the most impact. Pete has loved the stars his whole life, and all he really wants for his birthday is a telescope. But days before his birthday the mysterious card appears, addressed to Pete, and he never gets mail. The writing he does not recognize, and when he reads the card and it is signed 'Grandpa' it sends his mind reeling. So, he decides to take matters into his own hands. And that is when he slowly learns the whole story.
This story captures what a child can feel and experience in the middle of struggle between adults. It also captures what happens when people say things in pain and hurt, and those issues get left unresolved for years. It shows how we can make mistakes in our grief, mistakes that will haunt us for a long time to come.
This book is masterfully done. It is just so sad that we need books like this. Another excellent read by Sally Murphy and as mentioned the illustrations by Aska are wonderful.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Sally Murphy.
July 26, 2023
Gorgeous artwork, evocative writing and age-appropriate explanation to family alienation.
April 19, 2018
Pete is an only child living with his single Mum. He has a Dad but almost never sees him. He has been told that he has no grandparents, that they are all dead. Then on the day before his birthday he receives a card in the mail and it's signed 'love Grandad'.
An easy to read but very touching story.
An easy to read but very touching story.
November 2, 2019
A lovely, short story about family and forgiveness.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews