A beautiful and powerful book, with a rich depth of colour and a strong poetic text. Dog rescues Magpie and the two animals forge a deep friendship, both of them helping to overcome the other's disability. Sitting high on Dog's back, Magpie becomes her friend's missing eye, and as they speed through the countryside together, she forgets that she can no longer fly. At the end of the long day, they curl up to sleep, secure in their togetherness. Then Fox enters their lives. Corroded by malice and loneliness, he sets out to destroy their friendship. This archetypal drama about loneliness, friendship, risk and betrayal is as rich a story for adults as it is for children.