- Picture Books
- Ages 3–7
- Everyday Life
On Sudden Hill
A tender, beautifully illustrated story about two best friends, a new boy who wants to join in, and learning that a friendship of two can grow into a friendship of three.
- Best for3–7
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Lyrical
Tone
- Warm
- Gentle
- Heartwarming
- Bittersweet
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Birt and Etho are best friends who spend their days on Sudden Hill, building marvellous contraptions out of cardboard boxes and playing in a happy rhythm all their own. Then a new boy, Shu, wants to join in, and Birt isn't at all sure he wants to share his friend. Eaten up with jealousy, he stomps home and refuses to come out to play at all, missing the two-by-two closeness he had with Etho. But then Etho and Shu arrive at his door with the most marvellous cardboard contraption yet, and Birt discovers that letting someone new in doesn't have to mean losing what he had. Linda Sarah's poignant, ultimately uplifting story, luminously illustrated by Benji Davies, handles a big childhood feeling with honesty and warmth. A perfect picture book for talking about jealousy, sharing friends and welcoming someone new.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Best shared aloud with children of about 3 to 7, especially those working out how to share friends or welcome a newcomer. Early readers of 5 to 7 can enjoy it independently.
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- Best fit · 3–7
- Read aloud · 3–7
- Independent · 5–7
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Workable
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
4 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
5 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Friendship
- Making friends
- Big feelings
- Read aloud
- Beautiful picture books
Avoid if
- Wants action adventure
- Wants laugh out loud
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Starting school
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A go-to PSHE picture book for talking about jealousy, sharing friends and including new children, with a hopeful resolution to discuss.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Birt's jealousy over sharing his best friend is a feeling children know exactly, and the relief when he realises Shu makes things better, not worse, is deeply reassuring. The cardboard-box adventures spark plenty of imaginative play too.
- Friendship and belonging
- Being understood finally
Why parents love it
A beautifully illustrated, emotionally honest picture book about jealousy and welcoming someone new, ideal for children navigating friendship changes. Benji Davies's art gives it lasting warmth and re-read value.
- Beautiful illustrations
- Conversation starter
- Bedtime appropriate
About the creators
About the creators.
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