Finding François has been sold into the following countries:

Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, France, Belgium, Germany and Taiwan

About the book

Published July 2020 by Penguin Australia and by Penguin Random House US in North America.

For fans of The Rough Patch, A Sick Day for Amos McGee, and In a Jar comes a tender and gently adventurous gem about the power of friends to soothe aches big and small.

Alice, a little piglet, loves life with her grandmother, making lists and crème brûlée, organizing buttons, and taking walks. Still, Alice wishes she had a sister—or even a brother. So, she does the sensible thing: She writes a note (“Hello! I am Alice”), tucks it into a bottle, and tosses it into the river, where it drifts out to sea, is captured by an octopus, picked up by a seagull, and arrives at a faraway lighthouse. There, François, a little dog, lives with his dad. François is everything Alice could wish for in a friend, and soon the seas are busy with their bottled correspondence. But when a big change comes, and Alice can’t bring herself to write François more letters, will the simple comforts of time, love, and friendship restore the light to Alice’s life?

In this marvellous, gently funny and reassuring tale, the lucky and lovely friendship between Alice and François spans the length of the River Seine and the loss of a loved one. Award-winning author and artist Gus Gordon captures the highs and lows of being little, and tenderly shepherds kids on a journey full of fantastic possibilities, friendship, and healing.

Praise

“Triumphant . . . Leavened throughout with gentle, tongue-in-cheek humour [amid a] central theme of enduring love.”

Publishers Weekly

“Gordon’s sly humour and understanding of child logic (very reminiscent of William Steig’s) shine forth. . . . Elegant language, endearing characters, and irresistible images will warm hearts and minds with each reading.”

Kirkus (starred review)

“Endearing . . . Expressive . . . The precisely worded text, full of intriguing details, reads aloud beautifully. A heartening, memorable picture book.”

Booklist (starred review)

“Charming . . . [A] soothing, kid-friendly approach to life after loss. . . . This is a warm, gentle story about resilience and how the bonds of friendship can mend the heart.”

School Library Journal

“Strikes just the right balance between earnest and playful. A tender and inviting reflection on the hope and renewal found in friendships.”

The Horn Book

“[A book] to help kids navigate life during a pandemic. [Finding François] touches on relevant topics like grief and long-distance friendships.”

HuffPost

“A beautiful, fun and redemptive story of friendship, loss, love and kindness.”

Books to Borrow, Books to Buy

“[A] balance of joyful warmth and contemplative pathos, and the book is particularly respectful of Alice’s grieving process, subtly underlining the fact that simply waiting for a friend to work through feelings is a form of support. The watercolour, pencil, and collage art pops . . . [A] timely message that friendships can be maintained over distance and time, and that there is value in both solitude and company.”

BCCB

“Loss is overwhelmed by love [in this] story about the healing power of friendship.”

Florida Times-Union

Awards

  • 2020 Finding François, Kirkus starred review
  • 2020 Finding François, Booklist starred review
  • 2020 Finding François, was selected for the New York Society of Illustrators Original Art Show for the year’s best illustrated children’s books

Other books by Gus

shelf

Gus Gordon is an internationally acclaimed illustrator and author. He has illustrated and/or written over 80 books for children. His books Wendy, Herman and Rosie (2013 CBCA Honour book), Somewhere Else (2017 Speech Pathology book of the year), The Last Peach and Finding François have sold in over 20 countries worldwide and have received wide recognition.