diff --git a/apps/code/python_text_area.cpp b/apps/code/python_text_area.cpp
index 07ced50cd..5a6a4d1d8 100644
--- a/apps/code/python_text_area.cpp
+++ b/apps/code/python_text_area.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ constexpr KDColor KeywordColor = KDColor::RGB24(0xFF000C);
 constexpr KDColor OperatorColor = KDColor::RGB24(0xd73a49);
 constexpr KDColor StringColor = KDColor::RGB24(0x032f62);
 constexpr KDColor BackgroundColor = KDColorWhite;
+constexpr KDColor HighlightColor = KDColorRed; //TODO LEA
 
 static inline const char * minPointer(const char * x, const char * y) { return x < y ? x : y; }
 
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ void PythonTextArea::ContentView::clearRect(KDContext * ctx, KDRect rect) const
 #define LOG_DRAW(...)
 #endif
 
-void PythonTextArea::ContentView::drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char * text, size_t byteLength, int fromColumn, int toColumn) const {
+void PythonTextArea::ContentView::drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char * text, size_t byteLength, int fromColumn, int toColumn, const char * selectionStart, const char * selectionEnd) const {
   LOG_DRAW("Drawing \"%.*s\"\n", byteLength, text);
 
   if (!m_pythonDelegate->isPythonUser(this)) {
@@ -84,7 +85,10 @@ void PythonTextArea::ContentView::drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char
       lineStart,
       minPointer(text + byteLength, lineEnd) - lineStart,
       StringColor,
-      BackgroundColor
+      BackgroundColor,
+      selectionStart,
+      selectionEnd,
+      HighlightColor
     );
     return;
   }
@@ -116,7 +120,10 @@ void PythonTextArea::ContentView::drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char
         tokenFrom,
         tokenLength,
         TokenColor(lex->tok_kind),
-        BackgroundColor
+        BackgroundColor,
+        selectionStart,
+        selectionEnd,
+        HighlightColor
       );
 
       mp_lexer_to_next(lex);
@@ -131,7 +138,11 @@ void PythonTextArea::ContentView::drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char
           tokenFrom,
           text + byteLength - tokenFrom,
           CommentColor,
-          BackgroundColor);
+          BackgroundColor,
+          selectionStart,
+          selectionEnd,
+          HighlightColor
+          );
     }
 
     mp_lexer_free(lex);
diff --git a/apps/code/python_text_area.h b/apps/code/python_text_area.h
index a16b5006b..277d0fba3 100644
--- a/apps/code/python_text_area.h
+++ b/apps/code/python_text_area.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ protected:
     void loadSyntaxHighlighter();
     void unloadSyntaxHighlighter();
     void clearRect(KDContext * ctx, KDRect rect) const override;
-    void drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char * text, size_t length, int fromColumn, int toColumn) const override;
+    void drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char * text, size_t length, int fromColumn, int toColumn, const char * selectionStart, const char * selectionEnd) const override;
     KDRect dirtyRectFromPosition(const char * position, bool lineBreak) const override;
   private:
     App * m_pythonDelegate;
diff --git a/escher/include/escher/clipboard.h b/escher/include/escher/clipboard.h
index 674e5e5f4..46a105e9a 100644
--- a/escher/include/escher/clipboard.h
+++ b/escher/include/escher/clipboard.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 class Clipboard {
 public:
   static Clipboard * sharedClipboard();
-  void store(const char * storedText);
+  void store(const char * storedText, int length = -1);
   const char * storedText() const { return m_textBuffer; }
   void reset();
 private:
diff --git a/escher/include/escher/solid_text_area.h b/escher/include/escher/solid_text_area.h
index e38ffe498..aa4b7c003 100644
--- a/escher/include/escher/solid_text_area.h
+++ b/escher/include/escher/solid_text_area.h
@@ -18,14 +18,16 @@ protected:
     ContentView(const KDFont * font, KDColor textColor, KDColor backgroundColor) :
       TextArea::ContentView(font),
       m_textColor(textColor),
-      m_backgroundColor(backgroundColor)
+      m_backgroundColor(backgroundColor),
+      m_backgroundHighlightColor(KDColorRed) //TODO LEA
     {
     }
     void clearRect(KDContext * ctx, KDRect rect) const override;
-    void drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char * text, size_t length, int fromColumn, int toColumn) const override;
+    void drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char * text, size_t length, int fromColumn, int toColumn, const char * selectionStart, const char * selectionEnd) const override;
   private:
     KDColor m_textColor;
     KDColor m_backgroundColor;
+    KDColor m_backgroundHighlightColor;
   };
 
 private:
diff --git a/escher/include/escher/text_area.h b/escher/include/escher/text_area.h
index f4bc36f48..237d603d9 100644
--- a/escher/include/escher/text_area.h
+++ b/escher/include/escher/text_area.h
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ protected:
       m_cursorLocation = m_text.text();
     }
     void drawRect(KDContext * ctx, KDRect rect) const override;
-    void drawStringAt(KDContext * ctx, int line, int column, const char * text, size_t length, KDColor textColor, KDColor backgroundColor) const;
-    virtual void drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char * text, size_t length, int fromColumn, int toColumn) const = 0;
+    void drawStringAt(KDContext * ctx, int line, int column, const char * text, size_t length, KDColor textColor, KDColor backgroundColor, const char * selectionStart, const char * selectionEnd, KDColor backgroundHighlightColor) const;
+    virtual void drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char * text, size_t length, int fromColumn, int toColumn, const char * selectionStart, const char * selectionEnd) const = 0;
     virtual void clearRect(KDContext * ctx, KDRect rect) const = 0;
     KDSize minimalSizeForOptimalDisplay() const override;
     void setText(char * textBuffer, size_t textBufferSize);
diff --git a/escher/include/escher/text_input.h b/escher/include/escher/text_input.h
index 90cd79a1e..32436b996 100644
--- a/escher/include/escher/text_input.h
+++ b/escher/include/escher/text_input.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ protected:
   public:
     ContentView(const KDFont * font) :
       View(),
+      m_selectionStart(nullptr),
+      m_selectionEnd(nullptr),
       m_cursorView(),
       m_font(font),
       m_cursorLocation(nullptr)
@@ -33,14 +35,21 @@ protected:
     virtual bool removePreviousGlyph() = 0;
     virtual bool removeEndOfLine() = 0;
     KDRect cursorRect();
+    const char * selectionStart() const { return m_selectionStart; }
+    const char * selectionEnd() const { return m_selectionEnd; }
+    void addSelection(const char * left, const char * right);
+    bool resetSelection(); // returns true if the selection was indeed reset
+    bool currentSelectionIsEmpty() const;
+    const char * m_selectionStart;
+    const char * m_selectionEnd;
   protected:
     virtual void layoutSubviews(bool force = false) override;
     void reloadRectFromPosition(const char * position, bool lineBreak = false);
     virtual KDRect glyphFrameAtPosition(const char * buffer, const char * position) const = 0;
+    virtual KDRect dirtyRectFromPosition(const char * position, bool lineBreak) const;
     TextCursorView m_cursorView;
     const KDFont * m_font;
     const char * m_cursorLocation;
-    virtual KDRect dirtyRectFromPosition(const char * position, bool lineBreak) const;
   private:
     int numberOfSubviews() const override { return 1; }
     View * subviewAtIndex(int index) override {
@@ -62,6 +71,7 @@ protected:
   virtual const ContentView * nonEditableContentView() const = 0;
   bool moveCursorLeft();
   bool moveCursorRight();
+  bool selectLeftRight(bool left);
 private:
   virtual void willSetCursorLocation(const char * * location) {}
   virtual bool privateRemoveEndOfLine();
diff --git a/escher/src/clipboard.cpp b/escher/src/clipboard.cpp
index 3996a9ffd..446211c4b 100644
--- a/escher/src/clipboard.cpp
+++ b/escher/src/clipboard.cpp
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 
 static Clipboard s_clipboard;
 
+static inline int minInt(int x, int y) { return x < y ? x : y; }
+
 Clipboard * Clipboard::sharedClipboard() {
   return &s_clipboard;
 }
 
-void Clipboard::store(const char * storedText) {
-  strlcpy(m_textBuffer, storedText, TextField::maxBufferSize());
+void Clipboard::store(const char * storedText, int length) {
+  strlcpy(m_textBuffer, storedText, length == -1 ? TextField::maxBufferSize() : minInt(TextField::maxBufferSize(), length + 1));
 }
 
 void Clipboard::reset() {
diff --git a/escher/src/solid_text_area.cpp b/escher/src/solid_text_area.cpp
index b115c9f99..c035618b1 100644
--- a/escher/src/solid_text_area.cpp
+++ b/escher/src/solid_text_area.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ void SolidTextArea::ContentView::clearRect(KDContext * ctx, KDRect rect) const {
   ctx->fillRect(rect, m_backgroundColor);
 }
 
-void SolidTextArea::ContentView::drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char * text, size_t length, int fromColumn, int toColumn) const {
+void SolidTextArea::ContentView::drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char * text, size_t length, int fromColumn, int toColumn, const char * selectionStart, const char * selectionEnd) const {
   drawStringAt(
     ctx,
     line,
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ void SolidTextArea::ContentView::drawLine(KDContext * ctx, int line, const char
     text + fromColumn,
     minInt(length - fromColumn, toColumn - fromColumn),
     m_textColor,
-    m_backgroundColor
-  );
+    m_backgroundColor,
+    selectionStart,
+    selectionEnd,
+    m_backgroundHighlightColor);
 }
diff --git a/escher/src/text_area.cpp b/escher/src/text_area.cpp
index 0b61fa3cf..3baed8f3e 100644
--- a/escher/src/text_area.cpp
+++ b/escher/src/text_area.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <limits.h>
 
+static inline const char * maxPointer(const char * x, const char * y) { return x > y ? x : y; }
 static inline const char * minPointer(const char * x, const char * y) { return x < y ? x : y; }
+static inline size_t minSizeT(size_t x, size_t y) { return x < y ? x : y; }
 
 /* TextArea */
 
@@ -96,32 +98,67 @@ bool TextArea::handleEventWithText(const char * text, bool indentation, bool for
 bool TextArea::handleEvent(Ion::Events::Event event) {
   if (m_delegate != nullptr && m_delegate->textAreaDidReceiveEvent(this, event)) {
     return true;
-  } else if (handleBoxEvent(event)) {
+  }
+  if (handleBoxEvent(event)) {
     return true;
-  } else if (event == Ion::Events::Left) {
+  }
+  if (event == Ion::Events::ShiftLeft || event == Ion::Events::ShiftRight) {
+    if (event == Ion::Events::ShiftLeft) {
+      selectLeftRight(true);
+    } else if (event == Ion::Events::ShiftRight) {
+      selectLeftRight(false);
+    }
+    scrollToCursor(); //TODO LEA remove?
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  if (event == Ion::Events::Left) {
+    if (contentView()->resetSelection()) {
+      return true;
+    }
     return TextInput::moveCursorLeft();
-  } else if (event == Ion::Events::Right) {
+  }
+  if (event == Ion::Events::Right) {
+    if (contentView()->resetSelection()) {
+      return true;
+    }
     return TextInput::moveCursorRight();
-  } else if (event == Ion::Events::Up) {
+  }
+  if (event == Ion::Events::Backspace) {
+    contentView()->resetSelection();
+    return removePreviousGlyph();
+  }
+  if (event.hasText()) {
+    contentView()->resetSelection();
+    return handleEventWithText(event.text());
+  }
+  if (event == Ion::Events::EXE) {
+    contentView()->resetSelection();
+    return handleEventWithText("\n");
+  }
+  if (event == Ion::Events::Copy) {
+    if (contentView()->currentSelectionIsEmpty()) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    const char * start = contentView()->selectionStart();
+    Clipboard::sharedClipboard()->store(start, contentView()->selectionEnd() - start);
+    return true;
+  }
+  if (event == Ion::Events::Paste) {
+    //TODO LEA
+    return handleEventWithText(Clipboard::sharedClipboard()->storedText());
+  }
+  if (event == Ion::Events::Up) {
+    contentView()->resetSelection();
     contentView()->moveCursorGeo(0, -1);
   } else if (event == Ion::Events::Down) {
+    contentView()->resetSelection();
     contentView()->moveCursorGeo(0, 1);
-  } else if (event == Ion::Events::ShiftLeft) {
-    contentView()->moveCursorGeo(-INT_MAX/2, 0);
-  } else if (event == Ion::Events::ShiftRight) {
-    contentView()->moveCursorGeo(INT_MAX/2, 0);
-  } else if (event == Ion::Events::Backspace) {
-    return removePreviousGlyph();
-  } else if (event.hasText()) {
-    return handleEventWithText(event.text());
-  } else if (event == Ion::Events::EXE) {
-    return handleEventWithText("\n");
   } else if (event == Ion::Events::Clear) {
+    //TODO LEA
     if (!contentView()->removeEndOfLine()) {
       contentView()->removeStartOfLine();
     }
-  } else if (event == Ion::Events::Paste) {
-    return handleEventWithText(Clipboard::sharedClipboard()->storedText());
   } else {
     return false;
   }
@@ -141,11 +178,11 @@ int TextArea::indentationBeforeCursor() const {
    * another code point, until reaching the beginning of the line. */
   UTF8Helper::PerformAtCodePoints(const_cast<TextArea *>(this)->contentView()->text(), ' ',
       [](int codePointOffset, void * indentationSize, int context1, int context2){
-        int * castedSize = (int *) indentationSize;
-        *castedSize = *castedSize + 1;
+      int * castedSize = (int *) indentationSize;
+      *castedSize = *castedSize + 1;
       },
       [](int codePointOffset, void * indentationSize, int context1, int context2){
-        *((int *) indentationSize) = 0;
+      *((int *) indentationSize) = 0;
       },
       &indentationSize, 0, -1, '\n', false, cursorLocation());
   return indentationSize;
@@ -341,22 +378,46 @@ void TextArea::ContentView::drawRect(KDContext * ctx, KDRect rect) const {
   for (Text::Line line : m_text) {
     KDCoordinate width = line.glyphWidth(m_font);
     if (y >= topLeft.line() && y <= bottomRight.line() && topLeft.column() < (int)width) {
-      drawLine(ctx, y, line.text(), line.charLength(), topLeft.column(), bottomRight.column());
+      drawLine(ctx, y, line.text(), line.charLength(), topLeft.column(), bottomRight.column(), m_selectionStart, m_selectionEnd);
     }
     y++;
   }
 }
 
-void TextArea::ContentView::drawStringAt(KDContext * ctx, int line, int column, const char * text, size_t length, KDColor textColor, KDColor backgroundColor) const {
+void TextArea::ContentView::drawStringAt(KDContext * ctx, int line, int column, const char * text, size_t length, KDColor textColor, KDColor backgroundColor, const char * selectionStart, const char * selectionEnd, KDColor backgroundHighlightColor) const {
   KDSize glyphSize = m_font->glyphSize();
-  ctx->drawString(
+
+  bool drawSelection = selectionStart != nullptr && selectionEnd > text && selectionStart < text + length;
+  KDPoint nextPoint = ctx->drawString(
     text,
     KDPoint(column*glyphSize.width(), line*glyphSize.height()),
     m_font,
     textColor,
     backgroundColor,
-    length
+    drawSelection ? (selectionStart >= text ? minSizeT(length, selectionStart - text) : 0) : length
   );
+  if (!drawSelection) {
+    return;
+  }
+  const char * highlightedDrawStart = maxPointer(selectionStart, text);
+  size_t highlightedDrawLength = minSizeT(selectionEnd - highlightedDrawStart, length - (highlightedDrawStart - text));
+
+  nextPoint = ctx->drawString(
+    highlightedDrawStart,
+    nextPoint,
+    m_font,
+    textColor,
+    backgroundHighlightColor,
+    highlightedDrawLength);
+
+  const char * notHighlightedDrawStart = highlightedDrawStart + highlightedDrawLength;
+  ctx->drawString(
+    notHighlightedDrawStart,
+    nextPoint,
+    m_font,
+    textColor,
+    backgroundColor,
+    length - (notHighlightedDrawStart - text));
 }
 
 KDSize TextArea::ContentView::minimalSizeForOptimalDisplay() const {
diff --git a/escher/src/text_input.cpp b/escher/src/text_input.cpp
index b3c392efa..821faeb2e 100644
--- a/escher/src/text_input.cpp
+++ b/escher/src/text_input.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,45 @@ KDRect TextInput::ContentView::cursorRect() {
   return glyphFrameAtPosition(editedText(), m_cursorLocation);
 }
 
+void TextInput::ContentView::addSelection(const char * left, const char * right) {
+  bool emptySelection = currentSelectionIsEmpty();
+  if (emptySelection) {
+    m_selectionStart = left;
+    m_selectionEnd = right;
+  } else if (left == m_selectionEnd) {
+    m_selectionEnd = right;
+  } else if (right == m_selectionStart) {
+    m_selectionStart = left;
+  } else if (right == m_selectionEnd) {
+    m_selectionEnd = left;
+  } else {
+    assert(left == m_selectionStart);
+    m_selectionStart = right;
+  }
+  if (m_selectionStart == m_selectionEnd) {
+    m_selectionStart = nullptr;
+    m_selectionEnd = nullptr;
+  }
+  reloadRectFromPosition(left, true); //TODO LEA
+}
+
+void TextInput::ContentView::resetSelection() {
+  const char * previousStart = m_selectionStart;
+  if (previousStart == nullptr) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  m_selectionStart = nullptr;
+  m_selectionEnd = nullptr;
+  reloadRectFromPosition(previousStart); //TODO LEA many lines?
+  return true;
+}
+
+bool TextInput::ContentView::currentSelectionIsEmpty() const {
+  assert(m_selectionStart != nullptr || m_selectionEnd == nullptr);
+  assert(m_selectionEnd != nullptr || m_selectionStart == nullptr);
+  return m_selectionStart == nullptr;
+}
+
 void TextInput::ContentView::layoutSubviews(bool force) {
   m_cursorView.setFrame(cursorRect(), force);
 }
@@ -115,6 +154,20 @@ bool TextInput::moveCursorRight() {
   return setCursorLocation(decoder.nextGlyphPosition());
 }
 
+bool TextInput::selectLeftRight(bool left) {
+  const char * cursorLoc = cursorLocation();
+  if ((left && cursorLoc <= text())
+     || (!left && UTF8Helper::CodePointIs(cursorLoc, UCodePointNull)))
+  {
+    assert(!left || cursorLoc == text());
+    return false;
+  }
+  UTF8Decoder decoder(text(), cursorLoc);
+  const char * nextCursorLocation = left ? decoder.previousGlyphPosition() : decoder.nextGlyphPosition();
+  contentView()->addSelection(left ? nextCursorLocation : cursorLoc, left ? cursorLoc : nextCursorLocation); //TODO LEA adjusted location?
+  return setCursorLocation(nextCursorLocation);
+}
+
 bool TextInput::privateRemoveEndOfLine() {
   return contentView()->removeEndOfLine();
 }