Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2024The story of a Queendom set in an alternate India. A debut rich in fantasy, friendship and faith, and an original middle grade adventure that sparkles with storytelling magic.‘A land that loses its stories loses its way.’
The beautiful queendom of Moonlally has fallen under a tyrant’s rule. Their queen is dead, worship of their goddess, the Dark Lady, is forbidden, and the precious black diamond that protects the city – a rare fragment of fallen star – has gone missing.
When fierce orphan girl Minou Moonshine’s life is unexpectedly shattered, she joins the ragtag band of rebels, the Green Orchids, who are plotting to overthrow the General.
Armed with a secret and a map, Minou sets off with her friends and a mechanical elephant, through the lush jungles of Indica, in search of a queen, a goddess and her destiny.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN: 9781804545478
Number of pages: 272
Dimensions: 216 x 135 mm
'Masterful, a wonderfully original fantasy adventure that feels like a timeless classic. A brilliant new voice in the world of children’s fiction.' - Anthony McGowan, winner of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal for LARK
'A remarkable debut... poetic, imaginative and gripping' - The Guardian
‘Gita Ralleigh builds a vivid world bursting with jeopardy in this beautifully lyrical debut. So many unexpected twists to love, including the mechanicals. Minou is a great hero – kind-hearted, brave, and full of fire.’ - Jasbinder Bilan, Costa prize-winning author of AASHA AND THE SPIRIT BIRD
'An awesome alt-India middle grade book, with adventure and emotional twists, tied together with friendships and the family we find, and an incredible heroine in Minou, who fights for freedom and Queendom!' - Roopa Farooki, author of A DOUBLE DETECTIVES MEDICAL MYSTERY: THE CURE FOR A CRIME
'A rich and thrilling adventure.' - Sophie Anderson, author of THE THIEF WHO SANG STORMS
'Magical, multi-sensory storytelling...that will enchant readers, rest in memories and spark imaginations.' - Sita Brahmachari, Yoto-Carnegie shortlisted author of WHEN SHADOWS FALL
‘High adventure and a lavish, sensory world of mystery, magic and mechanical marvels. With an indomitable hero in Minou Moonshine, this is an inspiring, delightful read - young readers are in for a ripping ride.’ - Finbar Hawkins, author of WITCH
'A gently unfolding, rich narrative full of fantasy and wonder, which champions the power of women and girls to manage their own destinies' - The Bookseller
'Takes readers on a journey of emotions' - Scope for Imagination
'[A] charming fantasy... with the focus on faith, fate and fighting for what is right.' - BookTrust
An exciting fantasy adventure with an engaging heroine imbued with details that enable readers to draw parallels with historical events if they wish - Historical Novel Review
'A wonderful adventure' - Nazima Pathan, author of DREAM HUNTERS
'Quietly original and beautifully written... The evocative, boldly drawn plot and setting is redolent of the best of Pullman... There is more to come from Gita Ralleigh... and storytelling such as hers should be very much welcomed by mature primary- and lower secondary-school readers and their teachers.' - Ben Harris, Just Imagine
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