The Thing at 52

‘There’s a Thing on my street. He lives at number 52…’

It’s hard to imagine that anyone as large and fluffy as the Thing could go unnoticed, but the girl telling this story seems to be the only one who really cares about the lonely creature on her street. When the gift of a flower brings the unlikely pair together, a gentle and very satisfying friendship begins.

The girl and the Thing spend lazy days together until a chance encounter on a cliff-top reveals the existence of other Things. A party follows, with presents and streamers and plenty of delicious gravy, and the guests dance in a joyful, Sendak-inspired rumpus that will get young audiences on their feet.

Even the best parties come to an end, though, and change is always round the corner. As the two friends climb a hill to watch the dawn, the mood shifts. It’s time for the Thing to move on.

‘All Things have to go sometime,’ he says, taking the girl’s balloon, and as he disappears into a glowing cloudscape, we feel her loss and pain.

The story could end there, but it doesn’t. The girl’s mum helps her to remember good times with her friend and grieve for him. A new family moves into number 52, more flowers bloom, and with a different colour palette comes yet another change. The Thing has gone, but there were other party guests, and the girl has lots of new friends to play with. We never forget our loved ones, but their most important legacy may be the doors they continue to open for us long after they’ve left.

Ross Montgomery’s thoughtful and beautifully crafted story addresses some challenging issues – loneliness, connecting with others, dealing with loss and change – but there’s a lightness of touch about both words and pictures that imbues this book with playfulness and warmth. Powerfully atmospheric and bursting with soft colour, Richard Johnson’s pencil illustrations create a world that shines with emotion. We note the changes in mood, time of day and season as the palette varies, and the Thing’s departure, when it comes, feels almost inevitable. But the girl is not abandoned in her grief and we’re shown her finding hope and moving on.

The Thing at 52 will prompt discussion and activities around emotional literacy, personal wellbeing and connecting with your community, and although aimed at younger audiences, it would make a good starting point for reflection and debate with older readers, too.

It’s worth noting that the girl’s mum is present on almost every spread as an emotional supporter and enabler, and even in the midst of sadness, hope and optimism are never far away.