Eloise Williams is another fabulous addition to Barrington Stoke’s bulging stable of fantastic authors.
The funeral parlour in the harbour-side town of Carregton Crow has been run by the Jones family for as long as anyone can remember. Morwenna and her father are responsible for taking the dead to their final resting place on the island graveyard close to the mainland. Like many a seaside town, rumours are aplenty, none more so than the legendary tide singers whose power to conjure up storms and choppy seas has been blamed for the sinking of many a ship and the loss of countless lives.
When a storm of the like that hasn’t been seen before batters the town, the locals know just who to blame…the tide singers. Morwenna has always questioned the hearsay but when a stranger washes up at her door she wonders whether there could be some truth to the tales. Are the tide singers real? Do they have the ability to control the oceans? And are they really intent on taking lives? In a town filled with anger and upset, it is up to Morwenna to convince the townspeople that the tide singers are friends and not the enemies that they fear…
Written by the marvellous Eloise Williams and illustrated by August Ro, The Tide Singer is a wonderfully moody and atmospheric read. Against the backdrop of an eerie coastal town, the power and magic of the sea, terrible storms, and folklore and suspicious locals are all woven together to deliver a stirring story full of intrigue and mystery. Seaside towns are often littered with stories and legends that have been passed down through the generations and Carregton Crow is rife with gossip, largely thanks to the ramblings of Mrs Bussell. As rumours threaten the mystical and misunderstood tide singers, it takes a child to stand up to a close-knit community of adults who are stuck in their ways. As an orchestra of raging storms and mounting tensions provide their own crescendo, it is a much gentler and softer song that sings the loudest. With the kind, caring and gentle Morwenna fighting the good fight, the sweet tones of tolerance, understanding and acceptance sing through the final pages as she convinces the adults that tide singers and townspeople can live peacefully together. With the action taking place at night and on windswept, gloomy days, it is the perfect read to curl up with when it’s blowing a gale outside. Williams’ compelling storytelling and Ro’s moody illustrations deliver an unforgettable read, all in under one-hundred gripping pages. As with all Barrington Stoke titles, it is printed in dyslexia friendly font and on tinted paper ensuring the book can be accessed by every child. With huge thanks to the lovely peeps at Barrington Stoke for the copy I received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Recommended for 8+.
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