The Thing at 52

わたしが住んでいる通りには何かがいる。彼は52番地に住んでいます。
学校へ歩いて行くとき、彼が庭に座っているのが見えます。
時々わたしは彼が部屋いるのを見かけます。
時々お店で彼に会います。
彼には友達がいないと思います。
そこでわたしはママに「あの子に花を買ってあげてもいい？」とたずねました。彼はお花をとてもよろこびました。
「中に入って」と彼は言います。
「ちょうどグレービーソース（肉汁のソース）を飲もうとしていたところだったんだ」

52番地に住んでいた不思議な生き物。
モルモットとゴリラとライオンと少しウサギの風貌でマタードが好きな彼は、主人公の女の子と一緒に時を過ごしていきます。
薄く輝く色彩に包まれた52番地周辺の町での不思議な生き物と女の子の物語です。

The Thing at 52
by Mr.Ross Montgomery (Author)
Illustrated by:Richard Johnson
Format:Hardback 40 pages
Publisher:Quarto Publishing PLC
Imprint:Frances Lincoln Children's Books
ISBN:9780711279148
Published:6 Jul 2023
Weight:434g
Dimensions:241 x 298 x 11 (mm)
Pub. Country:United Kingdom

Description
Spark meaningful discussions about loneliness, friendship, community and coping with loss with this enchantingly illustrated story about a girl who befriends a monster. There’s a Thing on my street. He lives at number 52.

I see him sitting in his garden when I walk to school. He was big and lumbering and a wore a tiny top hat perched on top of his rather large head. She didn’t think he had any friends, so she brought him a flower.

It wasn’t long before their friendship bloomed… the Thing was gentle and kind and the adventures they went on were the best she could ever imagine. The girl soon discovered that there were many Things, living all over the place… which gave her an idea. She invited them all to a party, and the Things danced till midnight.

Thing had never felt so happy. But one day the Thing had to go and their adventures came to an end. All Things have to go sometime… In this poignant story, discover how small acts of kindness can grow into great friendships, and how the community you build from those friendships can provide comfort and companionship when you need it most.

Written by one of the UK’s best-loved children’s authors, Ross Montgomery, and illustrated by the incredible Richard Johnson, The Thing at 52 offers a comfortable starting point for discussing difficult topics with children. The book’s magic will draw you back again and again.