When Mr. Flikins sets off for his ninetieth birthday party, he has no idea how eventful the journey will be. Crossing the desert to visit his family, armed only with a picnic, a walking stick, and an umbrella, Mr. Flikins faces (and hides from) many remarkable dangers. Luckily he has in his backpack something quite ordinary that turns out to have extraordinary powers.With this characteristically beautiful new adventure story, celebrated author and illustrator Quentin Blake shows us, with the wisdom born of a lifetime observing humans and other creatures, that small acts of kindness are the stuff of life.