32 Paradise Street, Notting Hill, London. One night an angel landed on the roof of the apartment block where four families lived. No-one heard the angel stopping for a rest. Early the next morning Lewis Brown was sat at his basement window watching the people pass by when he noticed a golden feather float down and land on his windowsill.

Lewis knew it wasn’t a normal bird feather, so he climbed the stairs to the roof and opened the door. On the roof, Lewis saw the angel and was taken back yet extremely happy too.

Over the coming days, the angel stayed and with a big coat that Lewis brought him he even walked amongst the people on the street. little did they know that an angel was in their midst but little by little the people began to change and the place became a little bit happier.

Angel on the Roof is a beautiful book that has been illustrated in an unusual way – looks liked all the drawings have been done with a blue ballpoint pen. They are very fetching though and really stand out.

The story is very sweet and heart-warming, although I did want to know what the angel was doing to make the people in the neighbourhood change as he never spoke or seem to take any actions, he just sat and watched or walked and checked things out. I think a little bit more explanation of how he helped the people would have been a good idea as the book seems to suggest that just by the angel being in the area he made people more caring and nicer to one another without him doing anything.

However, even with my concerns I still believe this is an amazing and touching book that will be treasured. I think this book would work best for those children that are great thinkers or believe in angels as some of the messages in the book are quite subliminal.

About the Author

Shirley Hughes is the illustrator of more than two hundred children’s books and has won many prestigious awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal twice. She is the author-illustrator of DON’T WANT TO GO! and OLLY AND ME 1 2 3. She lives in London.

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