Co-written and co-illustrated by mother and nine-year-old son, The Raincoat Balloon is a children’s book based on the true story of a famous cyclist who defects (with his wife, two children and his bicycle) from the former Czechoslovakia in a homemade hot air balloon, sewn together by raincoats collected over two years. The story is a chorus of resourcefulness, hope and creativity as a means to deal with difficult situations.
“As a parent, an educator, and a reader, I am overjoyed to see a young artist whose creation is so clearly, internally inspired and motivated, and created with such empathy and awareness of the current struggle that many face during the recent pandemic. Levi beautifully demonstrates this moving story (based on the true story from the Czech Republic) and connects it all through their sublime and poignant artwork with the combination of sadness and hope that we feel during this time of hunkering down. The Raincoat Balloon is by no means a project or something Levi set out to create, but rather a manifestation of something he felt compelled to share with the world. May he continue to share such inspired art for years to come.”
—Kevin Ramos-Glew
Dean of Enrollment, New England Innovation Academy
