A young boy gives his perspective on several things the grown-ups running the country could do differently. How much happier would we be if all the adults went to nursery once a month to remind themselves how to play? How much safer would we be if Christmas lights were left up all year round to light everyone’s way home? This hilarious picture book treats profound topics with sensitivity and care. This is a book for all those children who dare to dream big and for all those adults who want to look on the world with fresh eyes.
BookTrust Great Books Guide 2023
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Trygve Skaug is a Norwegian songwriter, vocalist and poet. He is one of Norway’s bestselling poets, with over 25,000 books sold and 77,000 followers on Instagram. This is his debut children’s book.
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Ella Okstad is a popular Norwegian illustrator with a degree from the Kent Institute of Art and Design in England. She has won many awards for her illustrations, and has illustrated several children’s books.
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Rosie Hedger is an award-winning Norwegian to English translator. She completed her MA (Hons) in Scandinavian Studies at the University of Edinburgh. She has lived in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark before settling in North Yorkshire.
“This joyous picture book is a beautifully illustrated story which gets young readers thinking about what they would change if they were in charge. It covers major socio-political themes including the education, immigration, healthcare and environment in a child-friendly, approachable way.”
- BookTrust
“The story made me stop and think as an adult and see the world through a child’s eyes, which is a lovely thing. I would recommend this book for all ages, as it could be used in so many ways: reading for pleasure, a stimulus for a writing piece or even a prequel tale before a class debate.”
- Books for Topics
“A child with outsized ambitions imagines what he would do if given the powerful position of the president. Inky fingerprints fill in the background of this bustling, hopeful, and quirky story about addressing challenges with flair.”
- Foreword
“After dozens of ideas that bend and dance around each layout, promises get more serious and are in dialogue with daily news. The ideas are either chuckle-inducing or heart-warming (or both) across the board.”
- Kirkus Reviews
“This really is a feel-good picture book that encompasses vital socio-political themes including the environment, education and health in a child-friendly manner and readers are encouraged to feel that anything is a possibility so long as it contributes to a kinder, happier world.”
- Books for Keeps
