Early one morning when Henry was out walking backwards, trying very hard to walk forwards, he bumped into Amy.
Whatever Henry tries to do, it turns out wrong. When he tries to draw a straight line, it turns out wiggly and when everyone around him is looking up, Henry looks down. When he meets Amy, who does everything perfectly, Henry thinks she is wonderful. Amy teaches Henry his right from his left and his front from his back. But deep down Amy wishes she didn’t do everything quite so perfectly, so Henry teaches her back-to-front and topsy-turvy. Together they become the very best of friends – right-way-round and upside down.
Henry and Amy is a gorgeous book about non-conformity and about friendship. Written by award winning author/illustrator Stephen Michael King, this treasure is filled with the whimsy which is his trademark. Henry and Amy are too good, too silly and too cute to be true – but that’s just the point. Youngsters (and adults) can enjoy the story whilst receiving a gentle but important message about individuality.
First published in 1998, Henry and Amy is in its sixth reprint, a testament to its popularity.
Henry and Amy (right-way-wound and upside down), by Stephen Michael King
Scholastic, 1998, reprinted 2005