Another Harry and Walter

A writer/illustrator/publisher sends a book out into the world. When sales are no longer high enough to justify their taking up storage space in the warehouse, the publisher will declare the book out of print. (Rare is the book, like Red Is Best, that stays in print for decades — 43 years now and counting!)

Sadly, Harry and Walter — the story of a friendship between neighbours aged 4¾ and 92½, threatened when Harry’s family has to move away — was declared out of print early this year, nine years after it made its way into the world. Naturally, I was disappointed.

But a silver lining revealed itself to me this fall in the form of a message from a grandmother. Her grandson (Harrison aka Harry) had borrowed Harry and Walter from his school library. The title had caught his attention because his school-bus driver’s name is Walter. “Walter also,” Harrison’s grandmother wrote, “just happens to be an older gentleman.” She wanted to buy the book for her grandson but couldn’t track down a copy. Could I help?

As it happened, I had one copy left in my closet. I said I would send it to her — as a gift, because I simply couldn’t imagine a better home for it. She was grateful. “I am sure that your book will be read hundreds of times,” she said. She also described Walter the school-bus driver as “one of a kind. We have never encountered such a special and caring person in that role.”

Do you not just love the photo of Harrison aka Harry and Walter that the boy’s grandmother sent me? I’d likely have never seen it, had Harry and Walter still been readily available.

I thank Harrison aka Harry’s family for permission to share the photo with you. I hope it warms your heart as much as it does mine.

If you happen to be a creator of books, especially books for children, I hope you enjoyed this reminder of how much our books may be loved, long after we’ve finished working on them, and even after we’ve received the dreaded “With regret, we have to inform you…” message. If you have a heartwarming, silver lining story about an OUP title, please feel free to share it as a comment on this post.

Wishing you and your loved ones much happy reading over the upcoming holidays and into 2026!