A beautifully illustrated book that tells the story of a little princess who loved balloons.

“Don’t worry,” said Princess Leora’s father just before he left for the tournament.
“If anything goes wrong, release a bunch of balloons from the castle tower.
Wherever I am, I will see them and come home right away.”

Something does go very wrong. When her father, the king, is away, Princess Leora is left in the care of her grumpy uncle, the archduke, who has secret plans to take over the kingdom. Leora’s danger signal to her father — a bouquet of balloons let loose in the sky — is foiled when the archduke orders every balloon in the kingdom to be popped! A determined Leora sneaks away and, with the help of the Wizard and a boy who holds the kingdom’s only remaining balloon, she plants a balloon tree that soon blossoms with millions of balloons.

Phoebe Gilman’s fantastic imagination made her one of Canada’s best-loved author-illustrators. Her wonderful stories and lively drawings have made books like Something from Nothing, Grandma and the Pirates, and the Jillian Jiggs series enduring favourites.

★ One of Today’s Parents’ 100 Best Canadian Children’s Books of All Time

PRAISE for The Balloon Tree

“Phoebe Gilman not only knows a good story, she knows how to write it well and draw it superbly.”
— Canadian Children’s Literature

“Illustrations sparkle with life.”
— The Ottawa Citizen

“What an uplifting experience! . . . The story has a vibrant rhythm that will appeal to children’s natural curiosity.” — Resource Links