Charlie has a bright, red balloon and they are best friends. They play together (cute illustrations), go to school together, and spend most of their time happily together until the day a terrible storm comes and takes Charlie's red balloon far away. Charlie is saddened by the loss of his best friend but soon begins to recall fond memories of their days together and of the adventures his balloon is sure to be experiencing since its departure. The rhyming text flows poetically, yet awkwardly, at times. World on a String would work well as a creative writing prompt with students hypothesizing the red balloons adventures.World on a String