The Really Beautiful Thing
Published on 1. January 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
32 pages
978-1-83913-565-1 (ISBN)
Description
Squirrel is prepared to sell everything he has for The Really Beautiful Thing, but at what cost? A cautionary tale with a heartwarming ending about the force of greed and the power of friendship and family.
Squirrel isn't sure what The Really Beautiful Thing is - or even what it does - all he knows is that he wants it. When he can't afford the price, he sells his comfy sofa, his fridge full of food, and even the house he shared with his friends . . . The Really Beautiful Thing costs Squirrel everything, and when it turns out to be A Really Useless Thing, will his friends be there to help him pick up the pieces?
The perfect story to share with little ones about consumerism, greed and obsession, that teaches us we can't always have everything we want . . . and that our loved ones will always be there to help us when we lose our way.
Squirrel isn't sure what The Really Beautiful Thing is - or even what it does - all he knows is that he wants it. When he can't afford the price, he sells his comfy sofa, his fridge full of food, and even the house he shared with his friends . . . The Really Beautiful Thing costs Squirrel everything, and when it turns out to be A Really Useless Thing, will his friends be there to help him pick up the pieces?
The perfect story to share with little ones about consumerism, greed and obsession, that teaches us we can't always have everything we want . . . and that our loved ones will always be there to help us when we lose our way.
Reviews / Votes
A book with a powerful message about what really matters in life -- Clare Fulton and Jasmine Ewens * The Scotsman * This captivating, cautionary tale showcases the magic of valuing what you have and the magic of friendship * LoveReading4Kids * Discover some important lessons along with Squirrel -- Louise Ellis-Barrett * Armadillo Magazine *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 3 to 5 years
Dimensions
Height: 248 mm
Width: 247 mm
Thickness: 3 mm
Weight
200 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83913-565-1 (9781839135651)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Frances Tosdevin (Author)
Frances Tosdevin studied Archaeology, Anthropology and Classics at Cambridge, so she has a certain fondness for old things, and when she was little, she longed to own a real dinosaur. She has been shortlisted five times in picture book competitions, and in 2022, she was thrilled to win the Crystal Kite Award for her debut picture book. Frances lives in Bedfordshire, and enjoys nature, theatre and gardening, as well as spending time with her growing family of grandchildren.
Ali Pye (Illustrator)
Ali Pye studied fashion at Central St Martins, then worked in advertising. But it was her dream to be an illustrator, so she enrolled on the MA in illustration at Kingston University - which was one of the best things she'd ever done. Since graduating in 2010 she's illustrated stories for Campbell Books, Egmont, HarperCollins, Nosy Crow, Orchard Books, Orion, Oxford University Press, Penguin Random House, Stripes, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster and Andersen Press. Her books have been published in many different languages, and borrowed from UK libraries more than 600,000 times! Ali lives and works in London.
Frances Tosdevin studied Archaeology, Anthropology and Classics at Cambridge, so she has a certain fondness for old things, and when she was little, she longed to own a real dinosaur. She has been shortlisted five times in picture book competitions, and in 2022, she was thrilled to win the Crystal Kite Award for her debut picture book. Frances lives in Bedfordshire, and enjoys nature, theatre and gardening, as well as spending time with her growing family of grandchildren.
Ali Pye (Illustrator)
Ali Pye studied fashion at Central St Martins, then worked in advertising. But it was her dream to be an illustrator, so she enrolled on the MA in illustration at Kingston University - which was one of the best things she'd ever done. Since graduating in 2010 she's illustrated stories for Campbell Books, Egmont, HarperCollins, Nosy Crow, Orchard Books, Orion, Oxford University Press, Penguin Random House, Stripes, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster and Andersen Press. Her books have been published in many different languages, and borrowed from UK libraries more than 600,000 times! Ali lives and works in London.