Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away; Meg Medina, illustrated by Sonia Sánchez

Leaving and moving away for anyone is difficult but what about when you are just a child and your best friend who feels more like a twin sister is moving away. Yes, that’s right, Daniela’s best friend, Evelyn Del Rey, is moving away…

Evelyn Del Rey and Daniela are the best of friends. They live in flats on opposite sides of the street and know everything about the other’s home. They know the neighbours, the best places to hide things and they can send things to each other using a string hung between their windows. But today everything will change as Evelyn Del Rey has to move away. As boxes are loaded onto vans the girls find time for one last play together before their mum’s call them and the awful time arrives. Hugs are shared, stickers are pressed onto cheeks, secret handshakes are done, photos are taken, tears are shed and then a final wave. The time has come for Evelyn Del Rey to move away…

This is a beautiful story of two children whose friendship is perhaps coming to an end as one of them has to move away. A situation that will no doubt be familiar to many readers. As much as Daniela and Evelyn Del Rey are filled with sadness at the thought of leaving each other there is so much love and warmth in the pages. You just know from the illustrations that the children are enjoying every last minute of time that they have together and there is the overwhelming sense that even though they will be apart they will be together. I love the ending that suggests a friendship that lasted long after the two girls have said goodbye as we see an older Daniela looking through a box of memories of her ‘numero uno’ best friend.

The girls' final day is brought alive through rich and colourful illustrations that perfectly capture the emotions and feelings that the girls experience during the day. Everything feels real - the joy the girls share whilst playing to the tears that are wept after saying goodbye - you want to reach into the book and give both of the girls a comforting hug.

A tear-jerking and heart-warming story of friendship and adjusting to change. This lovely and sensitive read would be ideal for any child that is having to face the prospect of a friend moving away.

Recommended for 4+.