Ghostlines by Katya Balen

Blurb: On the Island of Ayrie, everybody knows everyone. They know each other's stories as they know every road, every hill and the coming of the tide. In the summer, there are bonfires to celebrate the migration of the puffins. Everything is familiar, nothing much changes, and for Tilda, nothing ever should – it is beautiful, it is perfect and it is home. When newcomer Albie arrives at the island, Tilda wants to show Ayrie off – Albie wants her to leave him alone. She learns quickly that it'll take more than a tour and some seal viewings to win him around. Then, she remembers stories of the old island just an hour's boat ride away from the shore. The old island is a death trap. The journey there is treacherous. Trips across to it are strictly forbidden. And there's a rumour it's haunted by the ghosts of those left there to die. But with all else having failed, the old island is the only way for Tilda to make Albie see what she sees in Ayrie. Besides, it's a different kind of ghost that worries Tilda. The ghost that's been following her, now, since her brother left the island …

Beautifully written, this story is about family and belonging and community. It explores how you can feel lonely as a newcomer in a place with friendship networks already established. And how tough it is to accept that some things change, even when you don’t want them to. Book Trust

The island of Ayrie might be fictional but it feels as real as the book in your hands. Main character Tilda adores her island home and life there, even if everyone knows everyone and no one knocks when entering other islanders homes. What book Next

Recommended for young readers (aged 10+) who enjoy thoughtful, lyrical writing set in the great outdoors. Reading Time

"Ghostlines is an adventure story about family, friendship, belonging and community. Balen weaves humour through this first person, present tense story. Her original figurative language and use of italics for direct dialogue, immerse the reader into Tilda's perspective." Magpies Magazine March 2025

Readers aged 10+ who enjoy atmospheric stories with touches of mystery and the possibility of ghosts along with kids who put themselves into dangerous situations will enjoy Ghostlines.

"The sea is starting to shift itself and the light is fading. The story is looming and taking in a deep breath before it huffs and blows and shrieks its wild self across the islands."

Listen to an audio sample here - great Scottish accent used for the narrator. Here is a Q&A with the author and Good Reading Magazine. 

I do like the alternate cover:

I do enjoy stories set on islands (this setting feels little like Fair Isle) and of course I am crazy and puffins but, in some ways, even though this story was engrossing, the resolution sort of let me down. I cannot explain why because that would be a massive spoiler. I guess I had especially high expectations because I really enjoyed her previous books October October (four stars from me and the 2022 winner of Yoto Carnegie Medal) and Foxlight (five stars from me). Having said this book was not as good as I expected I will say Katya Balen does give her reader a strong sense of foreboding. At every turn I expected something terrible or life threatening to happen - and this kind of writing does keep you on the 'edge of your seat'.

Companion books to read after Ghostlines:

Giraffe Island

How to sail to Somewhere

Jubilee

When the Siren Wailed by Noel Streatfeild

It is 1939, and the Clark family live in South London. Although they are poor - and often hungry - they have a happy home. One Saturday morning the children are taken to the Town Hall to be given gas masks, which they must carry with them at all times. Then evacuation rehearsals begin: the war is probably going to happen, and when it does, all children in danger London are to be sent to the country. All the children practice going to school with carrier bags, plus their gas mask and a piece of paper (pinned on with a safety pin) with their name, address and the name of their school on it.

The evacuation takes place on September 1st, 1939. Laura, Andy and Tim are taken to a village called Charnbury in Dorset. They are billeted with Colonel Launcelot Stranger Stranger and his servants, Mr and Mrs Elk. A new life begins for the Clark children - one in which they must take a bath every day, help the Elks, and go to bed early. They also get new clothes, and regular meals. Change is hard, especially for Andy, but over time the children adapt to their new life and they begin to thrive with better food and outdoor activities but the war is continuing and coming closer to their village. Sadly the Colonel dies and so the children are set to be sent to live with Miss Justworthy. The children met her when they arrived in Charnbury and they are so frightened of this woman who is is rumoured, feeds children cat food.

Andy decides they all need to run away back to London, back to their mother, and hopefully back to their father who has joined the Navy. Their journey is quite an adventure but the scene when they finally reach their street will break your heart.

"There was Mansfield Road, SE8 stuck up on the wall. But where was Mansfield Road? Where all the condemned houses had been there was nothing. Nothing at all. It was impossible to see where number 4 had once stood. There was just a large open space covered in rubble."

This book was first published in 1977 but my copy (cover above) is a reissue from 2021. What a discovery. If you loved Goodnight Mister Tom you must hunt out When the Siren Wailed. Noel Streatfeild (Ballet Shoes) creates such authentic characters in this book - especially the three young children - Laura, Andy and Tim. I love the way she is able to write their South London accent.

I read in the author notes that Noel Streatfeild worked as an aid raid warden, ran a mobile canteen for air raid shelters and saw her own flat destroyed in the bombing of London during World War II. These experiences absolutely shine through in her writing. I did find this review, with lots of plot details, where the writer thinks this book won't appeal to a modern child but I completely disagree. 

Here is the letter Laura sent her mother when they arrived to live with the Colonel:

Dear Mum and dad it is a bit of airite ere there is flars in the garden what Mrs Elk says what I can pick I have luvly new cloes you did orter see my blue flock luv Laura.

Here are some of the older covers, one with a slightly different title:

Here are some other books about children evacuated during World War II:

Evacuation and it's consequences:

• Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian
• Vinnie's War by David McRobbie
• The War that saved my life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
• Carrie's War by Nina Bawden
• Letters from the lighthouse by Emma Carroll

Scary Bird by Michel Streich

Life is happy in the aviary until one day a strange bird arrives. "He looked SCARY!" 

In the opinion of the other birds this new fellow is very odd, his habits are strange, and he chirps in a different language which no one can understand - he needs to GO! 

Important wisdom comes from a small mouse who sneaks into the cage to take a little birdseed.

"Hey, birdbrains! Don't you know you're ALL exotic birds."

The birds don't listen to the mouse, "nobody listens to a mouse". One day a small bird ventures down from a higher branch to listen to the pretty song sung by "scary bird". It only takes one bird to make the move. Now the other birds join in and gradually the new arrival learns to chirp like the others albeit with an accent. He is able to talk about his home and share his customs and eventually he becomes accepted as one of the group. 

"But then some thing REALLY and TRULY SCARY happened."

Have you guessed - another new bird has arrived.

I am very wary of books with an 'agenda' or a didactic message but if a book contains some wisdom which is conveyed skilfully through a clever story then that will be a book I am really happy to promote and celebrate. You can probably tell I love Scary Bird.

In this video Michel Streich explains his illustration processes. Here is another one where Michel shows the stamps he used for the end papers.  This would be great to show to a Primary class because Michel demonstrates his drawing and shows his book as a sketched draft. Here is his website.

I would pair this book with:

The Suitcase

The Thing

Brian the Brave

I mentioned previously that I am reading Australian picture books published in 2020 with aim of identifying books which might make our CBCA Notables list. Surely Scary Bird will make the Early Childhood list of 12 notable titles.

Themes include diversity, acceptance, difference, respect, understanding, equality, tolerance, migration, culture, traditions, language, and uniqueness. Reading Time

A lively little book, Scary Bird puts diversity, adjustment and acceptance into an understandable parable for little listeners (though plenty of big listeners would also do well to pay attention to its message!) and it will sit well with other recent children’s books exploring similar themes.  Books and Publishing

It shows that anybody who looks or sounds different can be rejected, but is a story that will work to start conversations with children about refugees, racism, starting a new school, migration and many other topics where difference might be something people focus on negatively, and create a safe space to talk about how this makes children feel, and ways to prevent it.  The Book Muse

The Suitcase by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

"A strange animal arrived one day looking dusty, tired, sad 

and frightened. 

He was pulling a big suitcase."

Stop and think about these opening lines. Why is he sad? What has happened to make him frightened? This suitcase is big - what could be inside? It is so heavy he has to drag it. The image above is from the title page. You can feel the weight from this illustration.

Now watch the Nosy Crow trailer and a video where Chris Naylor-Ballesteros talks about The Suitcase.

The strange animal meets a fox, rabbit and bird. The group are curious and ask about the contents of the suitcase. The list of contents sound utterly impossible. A teacup, a table, a chair, a kitchen and even a wooden cabin. The strange animal is exhausted and he falls asleep. The fox decides they should open the suitcase so they can discover the truth.

"Meanwhile the sleeping stranger dreamed about running away and hiding, about climbing over mountains and swimming across deep waters. And he dreamed about his suitcase and all that he had inside it."

When the suitcase is opened I gasped. What the fox has done is so dreadful. It's a violation but what happens next will warm your heart and, I know this sounds very deep but, I think the final scenes will give your young reader a sense of hope for humanity.

This is my favourite type of picture book where a seemingly simple narrative is a disguise for a deeper message but it is all done with a light touch there is no feeling that the author had an agenda or a message or an 'axe to grind' or a moral to impart. You might remember I talked about Almost Anything by Sophy Henn recently. It has a very different theme but I think it demonstrates this idea of that old adage "show don't tell."

This is in every way a five star book.

Here are some review comments:

The message here is powerful and profound and beautifully served by the simplicity of the telling. Love Reading4Kids

What better book could there be to share with a nursery or foundation stage class during refugee week than this one, offering as it does, hope and the possibility of new friendship. Red Reading Hub

I would bet that many folk would come away from this book with various different levels of interpretation of the core powerful message of being kind, and treating strangers a little better - but wow, this is so subtly and cleverly done. Read it Daddy

I would link The Suitcase with The Thing by Simon Puttock and Shelter by Celine Claire.  You could also look at Welcome by Barroux and Room on our Rock by Kate and Jol Temple.

In this video you can see Chris creating his characters. I loved hearing Chris says "Picture books are for everyone!"

Here are two other books by Chris. You can read the long journey that it took to make I'm going to eat this Ant on his blog.