Ashmol is the brother of Kellyanne. She doesn't have any friends, other than her two imaginary friend pobby and dingan.
The story is told in Ashmol's voice. They live in an opal mining town in Australia.
Life is normal until pobby and dingan go to work with their dad in the mine and don't return.

The story is odd, but thought provoking which is why I liked it. It's interesting to see what brings people together. ( )

Short and very sweet. ( )

Came across this book on a list, I think it was on Kirkus, detailing the small books one should not miss. I loved this little story, about a 8 yr. old girl who lives with her family in New South Wales, Australia. Her father was digging for opals and the little girl had two imaginary friends called Pobby and Dingan. Reminded me of the saying that if a tree falls and no one is near does it still make a sound. If not everyone can see the imaginary friends does this mean they do not exist? This is a story of a town that pulled together to help save a little girl. It is also about what being family means, not just someone saying brother or sister, but going above and beyond, even if it means suspending one's belief. As her brother says, "Because they are all just fruit loops who don't know what it is to believe in something which is hard to see, or to keep looking for something which is totally hard to find." Wonderful little story. ( )

A sad story with a lot of hope to it. Could have been trimmed down into a short story (or expanded into a novel) without harm, probably, but at 92 pages, right now it's not either one. ( )

Lightning Ridge, dans l'arrière-pays australien, la ville des mines d'opale. Pobby et Dingan sont amis de Kellyanne Williamson, la fille d'un mineur. Ils n'existent que pour elle : même Ashmol, son frère, ne les voit pas et ne croit pas à leur existence. Mais le jour où ils disparaissent, Ashmol se lance à leur poursuite. Premier roman.