Last House in the Row

Lesley Parr is a former primary school teacher and bestselling author. Her debut book, The Valley of Lost Secrets, was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award, amongst others. Lesley’s books have won the Tir na n-Og Award (2022, 2024), Wales Children’s Book of the Year (2023) and were twice shortlisted for the UKLA Book Award. All four of her novels so far have received CILIP Carnegie Medal nominations. Raised in a South Wales steel town, Lesley now lives in England with her husband and rescue cat, Ramsay.

"Deftly written, with not a word out of place, as with all of Parr's fantastic novels." – The Bookseller Children's Previews"A tender, moving story that really touches the heart. Absolutely beautiful." — Eloise Williams"Lesley Parr’s family and small community settings always have such a timeless, classic feel. I loved the relationship that grows between feisty Hayley and her elderly neighbour … an accessible and appealing story of mutual understanding and kindness between generations." — Hilary McKay"Told with equal amounts of humour and heart, this wonderful story of unexpected understanding and new-found friendship leaves the reader glowing and grinning inside. A perfectly polished gem of a story and feel-good hit." — Keith Gray"A moving and compelling story of the unlikely friendship that grows between an elderly woman and a young girl when they discover that they have more in common than they thought … This is a story that will stay with you." — Helen Peters"A beautifully told story that explores the power of genuine, cross-generational friendship. It is both tender and moving." — Jenny Pearson"A perfect slice of Lesley Parr brilliance. She’s managed to condense a huge depth of emotion into just a few perfectly-formed chapters. I loved discovering how Hayley and Lillian’s unlikely seeming friendship evolved into a deep connection of warmth, respect and kindness." — Tom Percival"This gentle tale, set in 1979 Wales, explores unlikely friendships and overturned assumptions." — BookTrust Cymru, Book of the Month"Amazing things can happen when you give people a chance! The unlikely friendship between a young girl and her eccentric neighbour takes centre stage in a moving and thought-provoking novella … speaks loudly about how unexpectedly surprising people can prove to be, and how important it is to foster connections with your local community. Beautifully written and conceived, this is a book to savour long after the last page has turned." – Lancashire Post