Product Description

Ten years after it was first published, THE BLUE BALLOON is now a celebrated classic which continues to delight millions of children. Kipper has found a soggy blue balloon in the garden. At first, it seems like an ordinary balloon, but it's not. It's full of fun and magic. This is a book to be treasured, loved, read time and time again, with fantastic fold out pages.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8833 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 42 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Mick Inkpen has long since made his mark on the hearts and minds of children with his warm and humorous story books starring some of the most lovable and enduring characters a child is ever likely to encounter, including the much-loved Kipper and Wibbly Pig.

The Blue Balloon--the tale of an ordinary, soggy old balloon which suddenly becomes "Indestructible with Strange and Wonderful Powers"--was first published in 1989 and shows the author at his very best. Inkpen's bewitching formula of simple story and clear, bright illustrations draws his young readers into the centre of a world where the name of the game is fun.

With new and witty touches throughout the book and plenty of pull-outs and peek-a-boos to keep keen young fingers entertained this all-time favourite 10th-Anniversary edition will introduce the wonders of that mysterious balloon to a new audience while tickling the literary tastebuds of the legions of young fans who already take pleasure in this most magical yet endearingly elementary of stories.

Inkpen says that The Blue Balloon seemed to write itself, and perhaps that is part of the charm. But as the balloon--at first rather sad and pathetic--gets bigger and bigger and better and better it is easy to see why Mick Inkpen has become so popular with toddlers and parents alike. (Ages 3 to 5)--Susan Harrison

Junior
Beginner readers will be able to tackle the simple text, but it's a great story to share with all ages

Review
Beautifully illustrated and full of the kinds of visual surprises kids love. (What's On (July 1993) )

Inkpen's pale watercolours against a white background give a cool, calm feel, while the use of pull-out pages and sequences of pictures give an animated feel. Beginner readers will be able to tackle the simple text, but it's a great story to share with all ages. (Junior, July 2000 )

Customer Reviews

As wonderful as ever ......
My kids (one and two) love this book. It is a simple story about a magic balloon, and it has lots of colour and magic and (important as far as my kids are concerned) fold out bits. Not too long for limited attention spans, it really hits the spot. This is definitely one of their top five books.

Love it!
Guess who wrote and illustrated Kipper? Mick Inkpen! Guess who wrote and illustrated the Wibbly Pig? Mick Inkpen! And you know who wrote this book, don't you... Mick Inkpen!
A decade after it was originally published, `The Blue Balloon' (this book) is currently a famous modern classic which carries on pleasing a whole lot of kids, attracting enjoyment on their bookcases. It is a book to be cherished, enjoyed, read time and time again - and passed on to an entirely new generation of kids. This is a lovely new paperback edition with surprises to bring out and flaps to open...
This book is in first person and is as if the boy is writing a diary about him and his dog (Kipper) who finds a soggy blue balloon when there were only red and white balloons at his party. They discover it is a helium one and they have great fun playing with it.

Should have bought something else!
Mick Inkpen books are great so I thought this would be a sure thing especially as it features Kipper. We've bought most of his Kipper books. Another book of his called 'Nothing' is brilliant. I thought this book was a little empty. Not much of a story but very visual and richly illustrated which would be greatly enjoyed by other young children i'm sure. My boy (age 3) likes a bit more of a story and was more interested in trying to open the huge fold out page which when unfolded wasn't worth the trouble. He also insists on helping me fold it back in which inevitably means it rips a bit more each time. For the fun he gets from opening the awkward giant flap I guess it was worth it but he's got lift-the-flap and fold out page books that are easier, more durable and fun than this book. If you get this book best buy some sellotape too.