The story and illustrations work intricately together to produce an emotionally moving book which had me close to tears. Grahame Baker-Smith’s moving picture book story, illustrated with stunning collage artwork, shows how – with love, hope and ambition – you can reach seemingly impossible goals. Ir seems genuinely auto-biographical and explores the relationship between grandfather-father-son, and their dreams and hopes. Not only are the illustrations whimsical and creative and beautiful, the story is wonderfully touching', Myfavouritebooks.

The worthy winner of the Kate Greenaway Award, announced yesterday, is this stunning and highly imaginative picture book .Some interesting discussion could take place about the nature of dreams- does the son continue his father's work out of sadness after his father’s death, or is the dream just so compelling that it cannot be left unfulfilled? A sumptuous and eye-catching book from the outside, which doesn't disappoint when opened to reveal a stunningly illustrated and very touching story.

It's a story about family, loss and ambition with many opportunities for prediction, inference and discussion. Grahame is a self-taught illustrator from Oxford who completed his training at Berkshire School of Art.We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. What happens to his father is never clarified; whether he died or was lost is unclear, but his son and in the end his grandson follow his dream. He has illustrated two other picture books for Templar: the Greenaway shortlisted Leon and the Place Between and The Winter's Child . Maybe I’m confused about what the Kate Greenaway Medal is… I was under the impression that it was the UK equivalent of the Caldecott medal given in the US. I think this is a great discussion piece if you want some higher level questioning in your classroom.

A young boy watches his father get so involved with his work, trying to make an invention to fly, that time spent with him is limited. A young boy, bewitched by his fathers unrelenting passion to fly; a desperate craving that absorbs his every waking minute, finds himself entranced by the dream. Grahame Baker-Smith is a self-taught award-winning illustrator from Oxford who completed his training at Berkshire School of Art. It continues by exploring the text through a range of activities that include explicit grammar teaching, opportunities for shorter written outcomes and book talk. A young boy, bewitched by his father's passion to fly; a desperate craving that absorbs his every waking minute, finds himself entranced by the dream.It touches upon the bonds between father and son, the tensions between freedom and responsibility, between reality and dreams. And the final parting with a new child and the wonder of whether or not he will have the same dream and what he will do with it. There would have to be lots of talk used in the classroom and some drama activities such as hot seating to share thoughts and ideas on the story and to develop understanding. Much later, the boy, now a young man finds himself drawn once more to his father's drawings and failed experiments. This illustration would be perfect for discussing with a class at the time of remembrance day and why it is we wear poppies in a very sensitive way.

The story is rich with the concept of duty, with the literal sense of going to war, the need for the son to fulfill what his father had started, and the duty to further this dream during following generations. After reading the book I felt that the word 'farther' was perhaps used to mirror the father's desire to escape and be free, as well as the fact that he actually does leave when he goes to war. Yet the moving relationship between father and son has a bitter sweet legacy and one that carries through to the next generation.It warrants several readings and close observation as the imagery is layered and there is much to be gained from poring over its carefully built details. It shows many emotions throughout and if you get into the book its as if you can picture it in your mind. I found myself asking questions about the images and even making up a little more of the story in my head. While I enjoyed reading it myself, I have bought it to share with the children I teach in upper Key Stage 2.