The Magic Balloon

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Written by: Carl Anka
Illustrated by: Amanda Quartey
Publisher: DK

When a rogue kick means a football is lost in the weeds, the last thing these friends expect to find buried amongst the nettles is a colourful hot air balloon! One step inside sparks magic and, all of a sudden, they find themselves flying away, soaring high above the clouds. Look! There’s the school, and there! The local shop! But wait, it’s all getting smaller as the balloon rises up…up…and up! Whizz under rainbows, through rain clouds and into space to float beside the stars in this whimsical, cosmic adventure, seeing the world in a completely different way. . .

Written by award winning author Carl Anka, illustrated by Amanda Quartey and made in collaboration with Woke Babies; this book is a magical combination of talent and humour, creating the perfect escape for all adventurers big and small. Climb aboard for a brilliant balloon adventure to celebrate World Book Day 2025.

The £1/€1.50 books are also available in braille, large print & audio via Guide Dogs, Vision Ireland, RNIB and Calibre Audio. If you require one of these formats, please click here to find out more.

Watch author video on Vimeo

 

Watch illustrator video on Vimeo

Resources

Check out Carl and Amanda’s assembly videos where they share children’s books they’ve enjoyed, where they love to read, and their top tips for enjoying reading and more!

Dressing Up Resource £1/€1.50 Information Sheet

About the Author

Carl Anka

Carl Anka

Carl Anka is a best selling and award winning children’s author as well as a journalist and broadcaster. You Are a Champion, which he co-wrote with Marcus Rashford, has sold more than 300,000 copies in the UK and won Best Overall Book in the 2022 British Book Awards. Carl has written for The Athletic, BBC,  and The Guardian among other print and online publications.

About the Illustrator

Amanda Quartey

Amanda Quartey

Amanda Quartey is the incredibly talented illustrator of The Diverse Book Award winning book Small’s Big Dream.

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