Synopsis:
In the snowy kingdom of Erkenwald, whales glide between icebergs, wolves hunt on the tundra and polar bears roam the glaciers. But the people of this land aren’t so easy to find. Because Erkenwald is ruled by the cruel Ice Queen and the tribes must stay hidden; if they are caught in the open they risk capture and imprisonment by the evil sorceress.
Join Eska, a girl who breaks free from a cursed music box, and Flint, a boy whose inventions could change the fate of Erkenwald forever, as they journey to the Never Cliffs and beyond in search of an ancient, almost forgotten, song with the power to force the Ice Queen back.
This is a story about an eagle huntress, an inventor and an organ made of icicles. But it is also a story about belonging, even at the very edges of our world . . .
Why I can’t wait to read Sky Song:
The Dreamsnatcher trilogy is a favourite Middle Grade series. I’ve been with Moll and Gryff since the early days of publication, and took gutsy, determind Moll to heart. I love her world, and the concept of the Soul Splinter. I can’t wait to meet Eska and her eagle.
Elphinstone’s worlds are full of the great outdoors. You’d think most books are, but as I once heard, in some books the landscape is part of the story, and in others it is detail painted it. Both are reasonable approaches, but I love Elphinstone’s great landscapes.
An organ made of icicles. A cursed magic box. Elphinstone has written about how objects help her form stories, and I love this approach. It shows how stories come from the world around us. There is much talk of the organ on Twitter, and I can’t wait to learn more.
An ancient and forgotten song. It sounds like there is history to this world. I love worlds which come with their own folk-tales, their own historical narratives.
The dark, cold nights after Christmas pass more quickly if we are absorbed in a good story. Early this year it was a Girl Called Owl. Stories of wintery magic are perfect for long, dark nights.
Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone
January 2018
Simon and Schuster Children’s UK
Advertisements Share this:
