INDIE CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE MONTH - NOVEMBER 2024

'Engrossing . . . A thoroughly modern historical drama [and] a heroine to whom every young reader will relate' The Telegraph

A remarkable friendship, a close-guarded secret and a quest to the sea. Be swept away by Hannah Peck's new novel for readers aged 9 and up.

Like many rivers, the banks of the Lyde hold a hoard of forgotten things: pottery, trinkets, a shard of glass. They also hold a Memory. In the days of this story, the buried Memories were forgotten by most. But not by all . . .

When Adderley discovers Ef - a being who seems part human and part fish - in the river by her home, she is drawn into an adventure that challenges everything she's learnt about the world. Ef is searching for a special stone that she says has been stolen from her people. Could this be the key to the drought that is destroying Adderley's home? Together, Adderley and Ef resolve to recover the stone and return it to its true home, but the river waters are not always on their side and the journey is filled with danger.

Perfect for fans of Emma Carroll, Kiran Millwood Hargrave and S.F. Said.

Engrossing . . . Peck writes with the ease of someone who has done her research, and is thoroughly at home in her historic milieu. The result is a thoroughly modern historical drama full of credible characters - and led by a Jacobean heroine to whom every young reader will relate. -- Emily Bearn * The Telegraph *
A startingly original tale of magic, folklore and friendship. * Gardner's Magazine *
A great read for those in Year 4 upwards, the author's illustrations are dotted throughout the book too, adding hugely to the reader's enjoyment. * World's Smallest Library *
A tale of magic, folklore and friendship. * Sunday Post *
Adventurous and magically warm [...] Written for middle-grade readers, I loved being on this riverward adventure with her and Ef, and the free-flowing prose perfectly captures the time and mood of a bygone England. * DaisyButter *

Hannah Peck is an author and illustrator based in East London, UK. She studied English at university before swapping the pen for a pencil. Now she uses both to write and draw at exactly the same time. Hannah uses inks and pencil textures to create elegant illustrations full of magic and fun, and thinks sharing stories is important.