Once there were two friends who were always together . . .

But one day, the boy was all alone. His friend was gone.

When a beloved playmate moves away, it can be painful for the child who is left behind. But the plucky boy in this upbeat story makes up his mind to find his missing friend. Young readers will cheer him on his quest, as they respond to the humour and fantasy of the story and the poetic imagery of the illustrations. And they will delight in stretching their own imaginations to follow the friends to the fanciful surprise ending.

In this book, Eric Carle uses his colourful hand-painted tissue papers to create both conventional and semi-abstract images as the text moves between reality and make-believe. When the story begins, the illustrations are conventional, changing to semi-abstraction and then returning in the end to the original style.

Many children in today's super-mobile society must part with best friends as families move to new locations. Friendship, lost and then regained, is the main theme of this reassuring story, which also celebrates the joyful creativity of young children at play. Underlying the story is Eric Carle's lifelong dedication to helping small children face life's changes with confidence and optimism, as well as his interest in fostering their appreciation of fine art, nature and the environment, and the joy of learning.