Christmas Reads: Review of The Only Child by Guojing

The Only Child is a stunning wordless picture book with a feel of classic and all-time Christmas favourite, The Snowman. I was completely blown away by the story, reading with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes – it is both lively and joyful, and tremendously emotional. The author’s note at the beginning adds to how special and wonderful the book is, written by the hugely talented Guojing, the story she tells is fantasy, but reflects real feelings of isolation and loneliness she experienced growing up in the 1980s under the one-child policy in China. The artwork is astonishing and deeply moving – not one to be missed at Christmastime, or anytime. A simply gorgeous story of love and loneliness that made me both tear up and smile widely.

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Kate Louise
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Kate Louise is picture book author of THE UPSIDE-DOWN FISH, PIERRE THE FRENCH BULLDOG RECYCLES, and TOUGH COOKIE. She lives in the UK with her family, her partner, and a cocker spaniel called Freddie. She graduated from university with a first class degree in Fine Art Painting. It was during this course that Kate rediscovered her love of reading, prompting her to try a new creative angle and experiment with writing. And she writes YA as Kate Ormand. Kate is represented by Isabel Atherton at Creative Authors Ltd.

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