In her first work of fiction, Coral tells the story of ten-year- old Jakub Polanski who cares for his single mum, Maria, who has multiple sclerosis. The weight of responsibility has made Jakub forget that he is a child, and his life outside of school is filled with adult concerns. Everyone is worried about Jakub’s mental health. To take the pressure off his mum and give Jakub a break, life-long family friends, the Koniks, take Jakub on holiday to Italy. While there, Jakub learns about Marta’s passion for writing poetry and storytelling, and she shows him that freedom and adventure are within reach. He discovers that he is both funny and smart and is not defined solely by being a carer. And, in Italy, Jakub finds hope as he listens to an old, wise woodsman, who teaches him about otters, especially one injured otter called Piccolo.