One Little Word

Written by Joseph Coelho · Illustrated by Ms. Allison Colpoys

A mysterious argument threatens to tear two best friends apart.

4.2 Goodreads · 114 ratings

32 pages· 557 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud· ~600L

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In a playground, a sudden, monstrous argument divides two best friends, growing until it disrupts everyone's fun. As the tension escalates, they must find a way to shrink this hairy beast. Will an apology restore their bond and bring peace back to the playground? Discover the power of friendship and forgiveness in this enchanting tale.

From the publisher

A beautiful and moving picture book from the UK’s Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho, tells the story of how a big, hairy argument gets in between two best friends. “The argument came from nowhere. It sat huge and bloated in the middle of the playground between me and my best friend.” This big hairy monster appears out of the blue one day, splitting up the best friends and growing bigger and bigger, until it starts to ruin all the children in the playground’s fun. Together, they learn how to shrink the monster until it vanishes completely, to the point where they can’t even remember what it looks like! Coelho’s gentle and lyrical verse pair perfectly with Allison Colpoys’ beautiful illustrations to create a book which will be treasured by young readers. This is an ode to the power of an apology, and to treasuring a special bond that runs deeper than even the friends realized.

At a glance