Into the Bewilderness by Gus Gordon

"Maybe we're missing out on something here in the woods? What if there's something else out there? Beyond the trees. Beyond the horizon, where the sun goes down into the ground for the night and the moon is released from the big box in the sky."

"One cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore."

Don't you just love that word in the title - Bewiderness - your young reading companion might anticipate that the two characters on the cover are bewildered and that they are either IN or travelling TO the wilderness.

Blurb from author webpage: In the Bewilderness, life is good. Best friends Luis (the large furry one) and Pablo (the small furry one) spend their days wandering through nature, playing songs on the guitar, and eating Slow Joe McNally’s pinecone porridge with their neighbors. When dreamer Luis receives an unexpected invitation to attend a performance of The Weary Mermaid in the big, bustling city, he finds it hard to ignore the allure of the bright lights. Luckily, he doesn’t have to go it alone—and it’s a good thing, because it’s a long journey through the Bewilderness, and Luis has many questions. Will they meet laser-eyed gargoyles, zombie chickens, or tyrannical cow rulers? Will they get there on time? Why is quicksand so slow if it’s called quicksand? Thankfully, with his grumpy but loyal best friend by his side, they’ll soon find out. ... Or will they?

This is a story of two unlikely friends - a bear and a mole. It is a 'grass is greener' story and it is also a tale of true friendship. If you are sharing this book with a young group of students, you could perhaps also look at some versions of Town Mouse and Country Mouse. As is often the way with unlikely friends stories this pair have contrasting personalities. Pablo is slightly cynical and verbose while Luis is naïve about the world especially the world beyond their woods. In another way this story also has deeper themes about our need for cultural experiences, rich lives and perhaps even deeper - it could be about the meaning of life itself - but maybe I am getting too carried away. 

Gus Gordon has included such a rich vocabulary in this book - mostly spoken by Pablo. 

sophistication backwater; behemoth; wayward; disoriented; rabid; ravenous winged creatures; repressed society; wanderlust; preordained; elegant chaos; immeasurable; and manifestation of intellectual achievement. So, this graphic novel and the tone of the humour will suit readers aged 9 or 10+.

It is fun the way the pair of friends 'rib' each other with their ascribed nicknames of Furball and Turnip. I also enjoyed the wordless pages - a chance to slow down and just see their world.

"Well Furball, we're off to see what the Big City has to offer. Will it be a vast wealth of culture and energy or a bottomless pit of despair?' 'There could be pretty lights ...!' 'That hide a broken-down society crippled by expectations of grandeur."

The Kirkus review of Into the Bewilderness is so insightful. The reviewer likens Pablo and Luis to Laurel and Hardy and I learned a new word for their friend Ray who is perhaps a yeti or a bigfoot. Kirkus use the word cryptid. Cryptid: an animal (such as Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster) that has been claimed to exist but never proven to exist.

Appealing, colorful artwork complements the philosophical, character-driven plot, including stunning two-page spreads that showcase the wonder of the woods and a sparkling night sky. With gentle humor, the author explores themes of curiosity, friendship, and the value of different perspectives. School Library Journal

This is a delightful and wacky graphic novel that will have adventurous spirits of all ages smiling as they follow this charming pair. The book doesn’t talk down to readers, containing impressive vocabulary and concepts that work on a number of levels. It’s a gorgeous little hardback and an absolute joy for ages 9+. Readings Melbourne

Gordon writes with wit, warmth, and compassion. He shares small but important insights into humanity, whilst also exploring more philosophical themes such as understanding our place in time and space, explaining the elegant chaos of the universe or unpacking the meaning of culture, all of which are handled deftly with humour. Reading Time

Here is the US cover with some tiny changes - I wonder why? The endorsement is from Sergio Ruzza - I do love his books (see them at the bottom of this post).

I read Into the Bewilderness in one huge gulp. It took me just over an hour to devour the 180 pages. I laughed and I gasped - there are two gasp-worthy scenes in this story. Gus Gordon is the author and illustrator of over 80 books, and he should be very proud of his first graphic novel which I know took many hours to create. You can see his work in progress on Instagram.

One of my favourite moments is when Pablo and Luis arrive in the Big City. They are hungry. Luis would like a tuna fish sandwich and Pablo would like some pecan pie. Turn the page and we see them standing outside a business named Tuna Fish Sandwich and Pecan Pie Restaurant - perfect!

You can see inside Into the Bewilderness here. 

Joy Lawn interviewed Gus Gordon and asked him about his book - here are a few quotes by Gus from her blog Paperbark Words:

This bear and mole deserved a larger story. So, I decided to sit down and write one chapter, and see where it led me. I did a lot of research, looking at other graphic novels, from here and abroad. I really hadn’t looked at many before, but I must admit that it felt familiar, in a sense, and once I began to flesh out the story, things kind of fell into place.

The wonderful thing about the graphic novel format is that it’s incredibly versatile. As long as the story is progressing, it doesn’t matter how you tell it visually. It embraces almost all the elements of storytelling. Much like a picture book, you can use the page space to breathe, and slow the pace down, not a single panel in sight. Perhaps a bird slowly making its way down over the forest below for pages and pages. Or, conversely, you can use multiple vignettes to speed the story up.

Home is always a powerful notion in stories, and it features heavily in Into the Bewilderness, as I mentioned earlier. A familiar theme that has been pointed out to me from readers, as a recurring feature of my stories over the years, is the theme of loneliness. That in the end we are alone in this world, and despite the undeniable importance of family and friends, it’s up to us to make the most of our short lives. 

When the pair of friends travel to the city to see a show I thought of this wonderful book:

And the expression of true friendship and an adventure in a big city (Gus says he was thinking of Detroit but I thought of New York) reminded me of this special book also by Gus Gordon:

Herman and Rosie

These are books by Sergio Ruzzier - he did the endorsement on the US cover of Into the Bewilderness.

Read more here.

The Great Phoenix of London by Lindsay Galvin

"We already mentioned that many sources agree that the phoenix is very old, and there can only be one of them at a time. The myth links to Egypt and Arabia, and is tied to beliefs about the sun god, expecialy in Greek and Egyptian myth. The theory that it arises from its own ashes, or that of the parent bird, are agreed. So it is everlasting."

The Great Fire of London is a topic studied in UK schools and so this is a perfect book for those students because it is a story which combines history with magical realism. Children here in Australia will be unfamiliar with this historical event but the action in this story is sure to make them curious to know more. This book could also be a terrific one to share in a family if you are planning a family holiday in London - you are sure to want to visit St Paul's cathedral after experiencing the gripping scenes at the end of The Great Phoenix of London. The maps in this book are also splendid.

Read more about the Great Fire:

• Kids' Britannica
• History for Kids
• BBC Bitesize
• National Geographic for Kids

In this video Lindsay Galvin talks about her books (one hour).

Lindsay Galvin offers a most exciting, brilliantly researched and presented historically based novel. It’s full of wonder, drama and excitement so that we can scent the embers, feel the fear and realise the destruction. Book Wagon

Among the many things I loved about this book were the illustrations, including maps showing the fire’s spread each day and descriptions of Guild members descending on St Paul’s cathedral to store belongings in what they hoped was the safety of the stone crypt. Bucket chains were formed to throw water from the Thames onto the fire, and there was frantic digging to uncover the underground Fleet River for another water source. The latter two failed, of course. The ending is emotional and stunning. Historical Novel Society

This well-known period in history has never before been brought to life in such an engaging way. Familiar names and places weave their way through the pages pulling together the strands of the story in a manner that makes sense. The Great Fire of London will no longer be just something that happened, but rather, something that happened to real people. Readers will begin to empathise with those who lost their homes and businesses. They’ll see the impact this tragedy had on everyday lives and how communities reacted in fear and disbelief. King Charles II, the Duke of York, the Mayor of London and Samuel Pepys himself highlight the difference between the social classes and how London was so unprepared for such a challenge. Scope for Imagination

The School Reading list (a UK resource) has an excellent detailed plot summary with text examples and discussion questions for The Great Phoenix of London. You can read a book extract on the Chicken House web page. 

I previously really enjoyed this book by Lindsay Galvin:

My Friend the Octopus

Song of the River by Joy Cowley illustrated by Kimberly Andrews

Publisher blurb: In this resonant story from Joy Cowley, Cam the mountain boy follows the river from its trickling source in the snow all the way to the sea. The river leads him through forest, farms and towns to the salty wind of the sea. The dramatic landscapes are packed with detail to discover in the world of the river.

Cam lives in the mountains with his grandfather. He is curious and asks when can they see the sea. Cam sees a trickle of water and hears a voice calling:

"Come with me. Come with me. I will take you to the sea."

Cam follows the trickle and it leads to a creek then a stream and then the stream becomes a river flowing beside farm lands and leading to the port where Cam finally sees a beach and the sea.

"It was wild and beautiful ... and it went on forever."

These lines reminded me of the words by Margaret Mahy (also from New Zealand) from her book The Man whose Mother was a Pirate.

“The little man could only stare. He hadn’t dreamed of the BIGNESS of the sea. He hadn’t dreamed of the blueness of it. He hadn’t thought it would roll like kettledrums, and swish itself on to the beach. He opened his mouth and the drift and the dream of it, the weave and the wave of it, the fume and foam of it never left him again. At his feet the sea stroked the sand with soft little paws. Farther out, the great, graceful breakers moved like kings into court, trailing the peacock-patterned sea behind them.”

This book jumped off the library shelf for two, or maybe three reasons. Firstly I really like the cover and so I expected to like the illustrations. I have put two covers here - one is the hardcover and the other the more affordable paperback. Secondly, I recognised the name Joy Cowley (I recently talked about her new book Good Night Good Beach) and thirdly the library I visit each week has added Sustainable Development Goal stickers to the covers of their books and this one had Goal 6 - Clean water and Sanitation. This link will take you to my post about this exceptional resource created by my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything. And this second link will take you to Goal 6.

Check out this Pinterest of other books you could use to explore this goal

Song of the River is a book you should add to your school library collection. Why? It has lyrical language and a story that makes geography accessible (notice the maps on the end papers) and as I mentioned the illustrations are very appealing. Take a look at these phrases:

The water splashed and sand in the voice of snow.

The creek laughed down the mountainside and chattered over stones.

The river sang in the voice of green and gold frogs.

The river drank other rivers ...

Cowley neatly modulates Cam’s adventure, sentences that build and accrete like that rivulet taking readers on the journey. Andrews’ diverse landscapes are solidly composed, shifting angles but maintaining an earthy, muted palette. Kirkus

Companion books:

A River

The River

The Twin Giants by Dick King Smith illustrated by Mini Grey

This story begins on Mountain Number One.

"Once upon a time there lived two brother giants. Twin brothers, in fact, something that's rare among giants. When the first one was born, his giant father looked at the huge baby and said 'Isn't be e-nor-mous!' And when the second one arrived, his giant mother looked at the huge baby and said 'There's a-lot-ov-im!'"

This is how the boys were given their names - Lottavim (Lot) and Normus (Norm). The twins were best friends and alike in every way except when it came to food. Lottavin liked meat while Normus liked vegetables. After a wonderful childhood the boys finally reached their full height of eighteen feet. 

"It's about time I found a wife." They both said.

Now we move to Mountain Number Two and Mountain Number Three.

Lot goes to Mountain Two where he meets a giantess but sadly she is a vegetarian. On Mountain Three Norm also meets a giantess but she is a meat eater. The boys rush to swap places but because they look completely alike both giantesses say NO. 

Sadly they trudge onto Mountain Seven.

They do not want to fight over finding a wife so they head off to different sides of the mountain. Lot finds a beautiful giantess.

"She was almost as tall has him ... and her hair was corn-coloured and her eyes sea blue and her teeth pearly white. Lottavim stared at her dumbstruck". 

Georgina agrees to be his wife but what about Norm. When he sees Georgina he falls totally in love too.  Now we have a real problem. Two giants and one giantess. How can this be resolved? I am sure the happy ending will totally surprise and delight you. 

The Twin Giants will be treasured for years. It's perfect for reading to children, reading together, and then to read alone. The story, the language, everything, are perfectly pitched, and will never feel too babyish or too grown up. There's a gentle level of humour throughout (best summed up by the names of the giants), which puts a smile on everyone's face. It's a warm, cosy, and lovely book. You'd have to have a heart of stone not to love every last page of it. Highly recommended. The Book Bag

The Twin Giants was first published in 2007 so sadly it is long out of print, but you might find a copy in a library. It has been issued with three different covers. Listen to an audio sample here. I used to teach a unit of work to my Grade 4 groups about conflict resolution - this book would be a perfect one for that topic. 

Dick King-Smith served in the Grenadier Guards during the Second World War and afterwards spent twenty years as a farmer in Gloucestershire, the county of his birth. Many of his stories are inspired by his farming experiences. He wrote a great number of children's books, including The Sheep-Pig (winner of the Guardian Award and filmed as Babe), Harry's Mad, The Hodgeheg, Martin's Mice, The Invisible Dog, The Queen's Nose and The Crowstarver. At the British Book Awards in 1991 he was voted Children's Author of the Year. In 2009 he was made OBE for services to children's literature. Dick King-Smith died in 2011 at the age of eighty-eight. Booktrust

Fox and Sons Tailers by Paddy Donnelly

This idea seems so original to me. Tailers who make tails! You are sure, also, to enjoy all the tiny details in the illustrations. 

In the street scene you will see a shop called Harecuts and a stork delivery service. Among the myriad of city dweller animals I saw a koala, walrus, zebra, flamingo and several elephants. This reminded me of books illustrated by Australian illustrators - Andrew Joyner (The Swap), James Foley (Stellaphant), Gus Gordon (Herman and Rosie) and Tohby Riddle.

On the shelves of the tailer's workshop the book titles are so funny - The big book of tiny animal tails; Fairy Tails; Folk Tails; and The art of Tailering. Rory comes from a family with generations of tailers. Rory is learning the trade. Tails are needed for all sort of occasions - parties, weddings, starting school and so on. Rory, though, has become a little tired of the way every day is the same and the way his dad follows such strict tail making rules. Surely there is room for a little creativity. Rory sketches his ideas and then late at night he makes tails that are sure to be way more fun for the customers. 

One day an important customer arrives. He sees one of the tails created by Rory and in a lovely moment of affirmation his dad accepts that Rory does have wild and wonderful ideas. So, they set to work and make the customer the most amazing feather tail and the family business is saved and once again popular with all the people (animals) of the town. 

You can see inside this book here. I highly recommend adding this book to your school library. It is funny, yes and clever, yes, but it is also heartwarming to see dad accept Rory has really good, creative ideas - so further generations will enjoy their working years at Fox and Sons (and maybe even daughters) will join the family firm. 

Bookseller blurb: Rory's dad, Fox, is a tailer. The BEST in the business! Animals come from all over to have their tails made by him. Rory helps his dad in the shop and one of his jobs is measuring the customers for the tails - which isn't always easy! But Rory is bored of making the same old tails. He has his own amazing ideas ...

This is an absolutely beautiful, heart-warming book about the power of creativity and the special father-son relationship. It also reminds adults and children that we should never forget to try thinking outside the box every now and again. Paddy Donnelly’s illustrations are full of adorable detail, from lovely background touches to a cast of sweet, characterful animal characters. Book Trust

Paddy Donnelly is an Irish illustrator now living in Belgium. He has over 15 years' experience as an illustrator and designer, and especially loves working with a textured, painterly approach. With a fondness for illustrating the sea and animals, Paddy tries to inject a touch of humour to his work wherever he can. Coming from a graphic design background, Paddy is comfortable working in different illustration styles depending on the needs of the project.

Awards for Fox and Sons Tailers: 

• LAI Children's Book Awards: age 0-5 - 2023
• Literature Association of Ireland - Winner
• IBA2022-Shortlist-Kids-Junior
• Children's Book of the Year (Junior) - 2022
• Irish Book Awards - Short-listed
• Children's Picture Book Awards
• The English Association - Short-listed
• ULKA Book Awards: 3-6+
• UK Literacy Association - Short-listed

Here is an interview with the author. I was pleased to see he mentions our Shaun Tan and his book The Rules of Summer. 

Here are some other books by Paddy Donnelly:

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

Exploits on the high seas and complex characters combine in a tale full of both excitement and heart. An engrossing adventure with the feeling of a whole world to be explored. Kirkus Star Review

Sai (full name Sodsai Arawan) is a girl living in a highly stratified society. She is on the bottom rung. Her father is a petty criminal and they live in squalid conditions. Sai, though, has worked hard and found herself a good job with the esteemed map maker. She has managed to find some clothes suitable for an apprentice and each day she travels into the city to work with Paiyoon. She has a firm goal to better herself and to do this she needs the all important status symbol of a lineal or chain. The more of these a citizen displays the higher their social standing. Sai is twelve. Lineals are given to children when they turn thirteen. They show your heritage.

The Kingdom of Mangkon is huge but the Queen wants more. She sets a challenge to the navy to sail to all corners of the globe to claim new lands in her name. 

Of course, these ships will need a map maker and Paiyoon is famous, but he is old now and unwell and his hands keep shaking. He does secure a place on a ship, but he will need Sai to travel with him to assist with the map making. Sai is very skilled with copying documents and maps. She is thrilled she can go on the voyage. Partly because this is a way to get away from her father and partly because there is a reward at the end of the voyage, and this will mean she can obtain a lineal and a better future.

On board the ship there is the crew of course, and one of them is very suspicious of Sai, but there is also the Captain who is the Queen's great niece, Mr Lark a naturalist, Dr Pinching the ship surgeon, Miss Rian Prasomsap - a former soldier, and Bo a stowaway with an interesting back story. The real dilemma for you as a reader comes when you try to work out who to trust. I was suspicious but also very wrong with my predictions. 

The voyage is long and filled with danger but the really interesting part of this book comes when we discover why the Queen wants to know about these distant lands and what she might do there. She has already almost destroyed some of the places they visit on the voyage and that is why I have added the label colonization to this post. 

"I had expected Falhin to be a green vibrant place like Pitaya Island but it couldn't have been more different. From what I could see, Fahlin was made of mud. The streets near the habour were slick and greasy, and the water was stained brown." Keep reading pages 180-181 to hear what Paiyoon thinks about the Queen and her desire to claim new territory.

Horn Book expand this idea: Class structure, imperial greed, and environmental ravages underpin the narrative arc of this fantastical adventure story, resonating with our own contemporary issues. At the same time, Soontornvat’s Thai-inspired culture and geography provide a vivid backdrop. With emphasis on an intricate plot and quick, accessible prose, Soontornvat provides plenty of excitement while bringing questions of expansionism and de-colonization to young readers.

Publisher blurb: As assistant to Mangkon’s most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman—and in a kingdom where the status of one’s ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her. Sai seizes the chance to join an expedition to chart the southern seas, but she isn’t the only one aboard with secrets. When Sai learns that the ship might be heading for the fabled Sunderlands—a land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond imagining—she must weigh the cost of her dreams. Vivid, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this tale of identity and integrity is as beautiful and intricate as the maps of old.

Watch the trailer from Candlewick. 

Reading it, it doesn’t feel like any other book out there. It grips you from the first page. You believe in these characters, in their wants and dreams and fears. You never doubt for a second their motivations, even when they surprise you with their choices. This may even be the kind of book that kids that usually eschew fantasy would actually like quite a lot. Though fantastical elements exist, there’s a strange reality to them. Consider this the kind of book that kids and their adult gatekeepers will love equally. In other words? Rare rare treasure. Betsy Bird SLJ

I have had this book on my list for a while. It was published in 2023. I saw the hardcover on sale in a bookstore but hesitated to buy it which was silly but anyway I now own the paperback.

Awards for The Last Mapmaker:

• 2023 Newbery Honor Book
• New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year 
• New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
• Kirkus Best Book of the Year
• Walter Dean Myers Honor Book for Young Readers
• Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection 
• A Junior Library Guild Selection 
• A Common Sense Media Selection 
• Audiofile Best Audiobook of the Year
• Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
• YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults
• ALSC Notable Children’s Book 2023

I previously talked about this book (five stars) by Christina Soontornvat.

A Wish in the Dark

Companion books:

Bartlett and the Ice Voyage

The Girl, the Cat and the Navigator

The Pearl in the Ice

Race to the end of the world

The Mapmakers' Race

Taking time by Jo Loring-Fisher

Do you take your time to look, listen, feel, smell, touch our world?

Taking time to listen to a bird's song on the breeze.

Taking time to gather up the blossom dancing free.

Taking time to snuggle in my dog's soft velvet fur.

Taking time to feel the beat of my cat's rhythmic purr.

This text is one your students could easily use as writing inspiration and also for a discussion about mindfulness, time, and precious life experiences. At a really simple level you could also use this book as part of a mapping topic with a young class. 

Sadly, here in Australia, this book Taking Time is very expensive, but you might be lucky and find a copy in a library. 

Here is an interview with the author and you can see some drafts of her illustrations. And here is her own webpage. You can see Jo with her book here. 

A must-have for anyone sharing books with young children—simply exquisite. Kirkus Star review

This is simply exquisite. In eleven different parts of the world, children savour the moment: on each double spread there is a gorgeous, mixed media scene showing a young boy or girl in an everyday setting relishing the beauty of the surroundings. Red Reading Hub

I mentioned this book in a previous post when I was talking about Timeless by Kelly Canby.  Taking time would be an excellent book to use as a comparison text especially with a group of older students.

Take a look at my previous post about another book by Jo Loring-Fisher - Wolf Girl. 

The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada's Reef by Michael D. Bell

Meadowlark Elizabeth Heron-Finch is known as Lark and she has returned to the island where her mother lived as a child. Lark has come with her sister Pip (Sandpiper Alanna Heron-Finch), with their stepfather Thomas and his three sons.

"When I was five, and Pip was three, our dad died ... That same summer Thomas's wife was killed by a falling tree branch when she was jogging in Central Park. Four and a half years later, Mom married Thomas. ... So we had kind of a Brady Bunch thing going for a couple of years but then, three months ago, Mom died, and what was left? Thomas and his kids, and then Pip and me. I don't know what we are exactly, but it doesn't quite feel like a family."

The Island of Swallowtail is holding a mystery. One resident now claims the island is his because of an inheritance. He has a plan to develop the island with holiday houses and a golf course but one resident - Nadine Pritchard - is desperate to find the truth and stop this dreadful development which will ruin their tiny island home. Nadine was Kate's (that's Larks Mom) best friend. She is also the granddaughter of a man who was killed in a boating accident many years ago off the coast of the island. This is where describing this story could get a bit complicated.

Captain Edward Cheever was born on Swallowtail island. His wife and young daughter Ada died during the flu epidemic. Edward Cheever has only one brother named Gilbert. 

"So, when Captain Cheever dies, he owns all this land, everything north of this line. Something in the neighborhood of five hundred acres, or almost twenty percent of the island. A lot of land. Unfortunately, the only will that the captain leaves behind is one written in the 1930s that, naturally, leaves everything to his wife and daughter. One little problem: they're already dead. So who gets it all? His only living heir, the brother he hates, Gilbert."

So now we have several mysteries to solve. Did Captain Cheever write a new will? If so where is it? What do his dying words (will, safe, two bells, Ada holds the key) mean? Was the boating death of Albert Pritchard really an accident? Did one of the witnesses leave something important out of the inquest into his death? Why is the woman at the Cheever Museum so nasty? You need to read this book to find all the answers to these and many more questions.

There are a lot of characters in this story and I did find at times I was a little bit confused but that may be because I read this book a little too quickly. It might have been helpful if the author had popped a character list at the beginning of the book perhaps.

Here is the publisher blurb: Twelve-year-old Lark Heron-Finch is steeling herself to spend the summer on Swallowtail Island off the shores of Lake Erie. It’s the first time she and her sister will have seen the old house since their mom passed away. The island’s always been full of happy memories—and with a step father and his boys and no mom, now everything is different.When Nadine, a close family friend, tells Lark about a tragic boat accident that happened off the coast many years before, Lark’s enthralled with the story. Nadine’s working on a book about Dinah Purdy, Swallowtail’s oldest resident who had a connection to the crash, and she’s sure that the accident was not as it appeared. Impressed by Lark’s keen eye, she hires her as her research assistant for the summer.And then Lark discovers something amazing. Something that could change Dinah’s life. Something linked to the crash and to her own family’s history with Swallowtail. But there are others on the island who would do anything to keep the truth buried in the watery depths of the past.

Each character, historic and contemporary, sparks with life. Lark’s process and the reveals are perfectly paced. Descriptions of the island and weather, plus some dramatic moments on rough water, help build atmospheric tension.  Kirkus Star review (this reviewer also said Readers will be hooked—more, please!)

I love the way Thomas inserts wise quotes into his everyday conversations by people like Marcus Aurelius, Aristotle, and Cicero.

If your reader aged 10+ loves a good mystery story they are sure to enjoy Wreck at Ada's Reef. I would pair this book Out of the Wild Night by Blue Balliet. And the publisher links this book with The Parker Inheritance.

The Parker Inheritance

Here is the website of Michael D Bell. And here is an interview where he talks about is book. Nearly everything is resolved at the end of the first installment in this series except we do need to know more about the little bird that Lark found in her bedroom and also more the book that was carved inside to hold this little treasure. The second book from the series The Swallowtail legacy was published in 2023 and it takes up this part of the mystery.

Here is the Kirkus review

The Thief who Sang Storms by Sophie Anderson

"My family are alkonosts, which means we're descended from the ancient bird-people of our island. Most alkonosts look similar to humans, although we're smaller and lighter, and have feathers, while humans have hair. ... The biggest difference between alkonosts and humans (have the) ability to sing magic."

Until three years ago alkonosts and humans lived in harmony but on the day of the Unity celebration one of their ships - Joy - sinks in a wild storm and the leaders of Morovia are drowned. The new leader blames the singing magic and all alkonosts are banished to the swamp lands. A new army of bogatyrs take control but they need protection from the singing magic and this comes from iron. Bogatyrs and their leader Captain Ilya clad themselves in iron from head to toe. The iron is mined from the waste land behind the castle and so alkonosts are captured and forced to undertake back-breaking labour. 

Linnet, an alkonost, watches as her father is captured. She is a resourceful girl and so she gathers her friends - alkonost and human and they make a plan to rescue Nightingale and all of the others. As she works on her plan unlikely ally arrives. Her name is Hero. Linnet and Hero were best friends before the sinking of Joy but something changed and straight after the sinking Hero utterly rejected Linnet blaming her and all alkonosts for the tragedy. Hero arrives in the swamp lands just as Linnet and her friends are about to be arrested but can she be trusted?

This book contains the most amazing, invented world. The days of the week for example have creative names: Songsday, Nestday, Liftday, Flightday, Glidesday, Soarsday and Swoopday. And the alkonost character names are all based around birds - Linnet, Nightingale, Jay, Kestrel, Robin and Lark. You are sure to also warm to Linnet's special friends - you can see them on the cover - Lumpy a toad and Whiskers a swamp rat. 

Reading this book does take some stamina - it has just over 400 pages and every few chapters there is a flashback where Linnet tells the story of past events which are linked to their banishment. I expected to read this book over a day or two but it took me over a week. I am not sure why but someone the action didn't seem to hold my attention. The title also continues to puzzle me, but I will leave you to ponder this yourself. Here are some very detailed teachers notes from the author webpage. 

Publisher blurb: The Island of Morovia is shaped like a broken heart. The humans live on one side of the island, and the alkonosts - the bird-people - live on the other. But it wasn't always this way...Linnet wishes she could sing magic. But magic is forbidden and she has been banished with her father to the Mournful Swamp. She misses her old life, and dreams of reuniting with her friends. When her father is captured for taking a precious jewel, Linnet must set out on a treacherous journey. Travelling through alligator pools and sinking sands with new friends, she learns how to be brave, and discovers something even more powerful than singing magic. Something that could save her father, and heal the broken heart of her island once more... 

Anderson delivers convincing, inviting worldbuilding, wide in scope, lovely in its evocation of landscapes, and entrancing in descriptions of foods, crafts, clothing, and feathers. ... Impressively different and captivating. Kirkus

This beautifully written tale of a divided nation is loosely based on characters from a Russian folksong. It explores bereavement and persecution, but ultimately celebrates the power of friendship, trust and hope to reunify enemies and establish peace. BookTrust

With a cast of wonderful characters – including a toad named Lumpy and a smelly but ever-faithful swamp rat named Whiskers – and an action-filled plot, The Thief Who Sang Storms is as entertaining as it is moving, and would be a fantastic addition to the bookshelf for kids aged 9+. Readings

Sophie Anderson has won the Independent Bookshop Book of the Year Award and the Wales Book of the Year Award, and been shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal twice, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Blue Peter Book Award, the British Book Awards’ Children’s Fiction Book of the Year, the Andersen Prize, and the Branford Boase Award. Here are three other books by Sophie Anderson.

Here is the US cover - which do you prefer?

Companion book: 

Prisoner of Ice and Snow

Lost by Mariajo Ilustrajo

 

"I am not sure how I got here ... everything looks so different."

A huge polar bear finds himself in the city. Everything is so confusing. There are long queues, coffee shops - in fact our bear is given a soy latte! He does not like the taste at all. Then he heads to the help desk at the station and that is where he is given the tube map. On the train no one notices the huge while polar bear except for one young girl. She takes him home but this home is nothing like his real home. The clothes are strange, the food is strange, and the sea (bath) is very small. Luckily this girl has a terrific book collection and one of books is entitled North Pole. She quickly works out the problem and makes a plan. She organises to lift him in a huge blanket attached to a wire under the helicopter. Arriving home the other polar bears are so happy to see their friend.

"I felt lost at first. But then someone found me."

Now turn to the final end paper - the little girl has given her new friend a truly special gift. 

There are some interesting design features to notice with this book. The title in Fluro orange is embossed. The front-end paper has the polar bear on one side striding into the story and a map on the other side which appears to have been tossed down or dropped. Over the page the huge polar bear has now picked up his map. It looks a little like a London underground train map. On the imprint page I read that the font for this book is called Marajo so I am guessing it is an invention of the author/illustrator. This hardcover book is not too expensive here in Australia so it is one you could add to your school library wish list.

See pages from Lost here. I am not entirely sure but the polar bear in Lost might be the same polar bear from Flooded?

Companion books:

Lost and Found

Little Bear

Blown Away

Mariajo Ilustrajo is a Spanish illustrator based in the UK. Her real name is Mariajose Gajate Molina. Flooded was her first book and it went on to win the Klaus Flugge Prize for Illustration 2023.

Her new books due in 2024 areHelp we Need a story and I love books: