Half a World Away

The U.S. debut of an incredible new illustrator introduces two everyday friends whose closeness endures no matter how far apart they are.

"If I call Amy really loudly, she'll hear me, won't she?" Louie asked his mom.
His mom shook her head. "Amy is half a world away."

Amy and Louie are the best of friends. They build towers as high as the sky, they look for magical creatures in clouds, and they always greet one another with their special call: "Coo-ee!"
But when Amy's family moves far across the ocean, the color drains out of their lives---until Louie finds a way to restore their special bond.
A perfect book for any friends separated by a move, this is the unforgettable story of a friendship lost and found.

Born and raised in Australia, Libby Gleeson grew up with her five other siblings and her two parents, who were teachers. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney in 1973, and is a former English and History teacher, both on the secondary and tertiary levels. Her awards and accolades include: Junior Book of the Year (1997), short listed for Australian Children’s Book Council Book of the Year awards 11 times, Ibby Award (1992), among others.

Libby currently lives in Australia and is a full-time writer of fiction for children and young adults.


Scotland native Freya Blackwood grew up and currently lives in Orange, NSW, about three and a half hours west of Sydney (Australia). Creativity is in her blood. Her mother, Kay, is a painter and jeweler, and her father, John, is an architect. As her grandfather was also a painter, there was ample influence and encouragement in artistic pursuits as she grew up.