I Have a Friend

Judith Inglese has been designing and fabricating ceramic tile murals for public environments for more than thirty years. Her commissions include libraries, schools, hospitals and municipal and institutional buildings like the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Her murals often focus on the play and imagination of children as well as cross-cultural exchange and community. Illustrator of the "I See the Sun in ..." series, this is the first book she has written and illustrated.

I Have A Friend is the story of Henry and his imaginary friend, Vladimir, who leads the way to adventure. Vladimir is from Iceland, but sometimes he lives right next door. He flies a plane, a hot air balloon and drives a tractor. His forklift is so powerful, it can even pick up a 60-pound turkey! He has a rabbit named RABBIT and a talking bird named Charlie who can say Pound Cake and Charlie Bird. His dog, Hoss, can run as fast as a car, and he isn't even afraid of thunder. In the story, big and small, and old and young are fluid concepts. Judith Inglese, award-winning artist and illustrator, was inspired by the storytelling of her three-year-old grandchild who had a fanciful friend named Vladimir. She has complemented her tale with simple collage illustrations that are visually appealing to young children and are as creative as Henry's imagination. For ages 3-6 years.