Brimming with hope and gorgeously illustrated by Tom de Freston, Julia and the Shark is a mesmerising story of a family, a lighthouse and a quest to find the elusive Greenland shark from the award-winning author of The Girl of Ink & Stars.
Shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year 2021
Longlisted for The Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing 2023
'Days before lockdown there was a fire in my studio that destroyed twelve years worth of work. From the burnt out husk I rescued burnt frames, bags of ash, fragments of destroyed artworks. Much of the artwork for Julia and the Shark was made using these materials, as an act of mourning, transformation and repair. It reflects the central message of the book, that even in the deepest darkness there is always the light of hope.' - Tom de Freston
A timeless story of family, hope and environmental crisis from the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-winning author of The Girl of Ink and Stars that is also a stunning work of visual art, Julia and the Shark has been taken to our booksellers’ hearts like no other children’s novel.
When her father is required to repair an old lighthouse on a remote island, Julia finds herself on a strange and magical summer holiday. Her mother becomes increasingly determined to find the great Greenland shark – an awesome yet elusive creature that soon fills Julia’s thoughts as well. But when her mother’s determination tips over into obsession, Julia is forced to dive into an adventure with hidden depths and turbulent emotional currents which threatens to submerge them all.
With breathtaking black, white and yellow illustrations created using the ashes from the fire that destroyed de Freston's studio, Julia and the Shark is both a testament to artistic rebirth and an exquisite reflection on family, science and the fragile yet sublime beauty of the environment. Intoxicating and impossible to put down, it is a future classic whose beauty and heart will resound for generations.
Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
ISBN: 9781510107786
Number of pages: 224
Weight: 540 g
Dimensions: 218 x 158 x 22 mm
Captivating - The Telegraph
A tale of courage, understanding and compassion - The Observer
A triumph - The Daily Mail
Illustrated with dreamlike fluency - The Observer
Beautifully written, sensitive exploration of mental illness, fear and families - The Daily Mail
A truly beautiful book, with text and illustrations in perfect harmony. A book to treasure! - Jacqueline Wilson
Julia and the Shark is deep, beautiful and true. The art shines and the writing soars. A classic from cover to cover. - Eoin Colfer
There are no wasted words in this book. Like a seashell, or a flying bird, it is uncluttered and vital. The illustrations, by Tom de Freston, are mesmerising. I loved it. - Hilary McKay
Tom de Freston's stunning illustrations perfectly complement the poetry of Kiran Millwood Hargrave's story - Cressida Cowell
A rich, immersive and wondrous journey, through deep darkness to hope and light - Sophie Anderson, author of The House with Chicken Legs
What a gorgeous book - calm, funny, heartfelt, wise, full of the quiet and force of the sea - Ross Montgomery, author of The Midnight Guardians
I fell in love with the tale itself, the setting (I do love a lighthouse!), the characters and the little details - it's a beautiful, forceful storm of a book - Emma Carroll, author of Letters from the Lighthouse
INCREDIBLE. Poignant and lyrical and beautiful, it's my favourite of Kiran's books so far and that is saying something. Tom's stunning artwork just brings it to a whole other level - Cat Doyle
Truly extraordinary. Julia and the Shark is contemporary MG at its best but with a hint of the fantastic. It is the kind of book that you will want to have on your shelves and treasure - Katherine Webber Tsang
A beautifully written, moving exploration of family, friendship and mental health, with exquisite illustrations by de Freston - Irish Independent
Such rich and vivid prose ... with beautiful illustrations by Tom de Freston - New York Times
Thank you to the publishers for this early review copy.
I was thrilled to receive it and simply had to read it that night.
Gorgeous illustrations throughout. A gentle heart warming story about family life and mental...
More
Julia is spending the summer holiday in the Scottish island of Unst due to her parents' work: her father is fixing the island's lighthouse so it works automatically whilst her mum, a marine biologist, is... More
Julia is spending the summer on the remote Scottish island of Unst while her dad makes its old lighthouse automated. Her marine biologist mother plans to use the northern location to search for the Greenland shark.... More
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