A Goodbye
One small tap. One brave step. One goodbye to keep.
At the preschool door, Pip wants a goodbye he can keep. A hug is too big, a wave disappears, a nose boop is too tickly. A warm story about staying close to someone you love, and taking one small step on your own.
- Ages
- 3–5
- Pages
- 24
- Read-aloud
- 4–6 min
- Format
- 6 × 6 in paperback
A goodbye can be small enough to carry with you.
Drop-off is one of the biggest small moments of a young child’s day. Pip isn’t sad about preschool. He just wants something of Dad to keep once Dad is gone. So he tests goodbyes the way children test everything: too big, too far, too tickly.
The answer is one Pip invents himself: one tap for Dad, one tap for Pip, tucked into his pocket. Dad doesn’t explain or rush. He plays along, waits, and leaves only when Pip has turned to the table. Pip still misses him, and he starts drawing anyway.
Three goodbyes that don’t quite fit.
The rest is in the book.
We stop here so the ending stays a surprise for your first read together.
The goodbyes Pip tries
- 1The biggest hugtoo big to carry
- 2The longest wavegone round the corner
- 3A nose goodbyetoo tickly
- 4A tiny tapjust the right size
Two moments where your child becomes part of the story.
Printed in a softer color on the page, so you can ask them out loud, or skip them on a sleepy day.
“How far can your wave reach?”
1“Can you make one tiny tap?”
2Questions to talk about
- 01Why didn’t the big hug fit in Pip’s pocket?
- 02What did Pip and Dad do with their hands?
- 03What little goodbye could we make, just for us?
Questions parents ask
What age is A Goodbye for?+
It is made for children aged 3 to 5, to be read aloud by a grown-up.
What is A Goodbye about?+
A Goodbye is a picture book about saying goodbye at preschool drop-off. At the preschool door, Pip wants a goodbye he can keep. A hug is too big, a wave disappears, a nose boop is too tickly. A warm story about staying close to someone you love, and taking one small step on your own.
How long does A Goodbye take to read aloud?+
About 4 to 6 minutes. It has around 200 words over 24 pages, in a 6 × 6 inch paperback.
Where can I buy A Goodbye?+
On Amazon, in these stores: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.de, amazon.fr, amazon.es, amazon.it, amazon.nl.
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