Overview

An old Polish city fizzes with fear. The townsfolk are at the mercy of a dragon who lurks in the cave below the castle... Konrad's dad always used to say, 'There is a character in a book somewhere that matches you almost entirely. It's just a matter of finding them'. Konrad never expected the 'finding' to involve stepping right into a story, and he never expected his dad not to be there with him. After his dad's death, Konrad stops speaking. Not a word at home or school as the year rolls by. But that begins to change when he meets Maya on the beach he loved to explore with Dad. She doesn't mind his silence. It gives her a chance to be heard, because at home no one seems to notice her. When the pair go on a last visit to Konrad's family bookshop before it's sold, they soon get lost in the pages of Konrad's favourite book of folk tales. Whisked back in time to quest with a dragon, they must find themselves and their voices, as well as a happy end to the story in the book and in real life. A beautifully told, compassionate story about grief and finding your voice, with a sprinkle of Polish folklore and a magical, medieval adventure from Waterstones-shortlisted Ewa Jozefkowicz.

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9781801109208

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Reviews

PRAISE FOR EWA JOZEFKOWICZ: 'A heartfelt story about the importance of community and the power of food to connect people' Scotsman Best Children's Books of the Summer 2021, on The Cooking Club Detectives. 'A gently unfolding detective story that delicately unpacks themes of food poverty, friendship and the importance of community spaces... The writing gives space for a range of perspectives' BooksforTopics, Ones to Watch - Middle Grade Round-up for Summer 2021, on The Cooking Club Detectives. 'The plot has been carefully and skilfully crafted to be a story within a story... It is so refreshing to find a well-written powerful standalone story for young adults that I hope it will be widely read and enjoyed' The School Librarian, on The Key to Finding Jack. 'Paints a convincing picture of a harrowing time in a young life... By no means a gloomy read, offering ample humour, hope and optimism' BookTrust, Bookmark Book of the Month, on The Mystery of the Colour Thief. 'Celebrating the importance of community, family and friends, this is a lovely, warm-hearted story' * The Week Junior, Book of the Week, on The Cooking Club Detectives *

A beautifully written and captivating read but it also deals sensitively with important issues such as grief, courage, friendship and finding your voice * Armadillo Magazine * Intriguing mixture of contemporary life and ancient myth exploring... the trauma of losing a parent and how one boy finds his way back to his friends and family * BookTrust * PRAISE FOR EWA JOZEFKOWICZ: 'A heartfelt story about the importance of community and the power of food to connect people' Scotsman Best Children's Books of the Summer 2021, on The Cooking Club Detectives. 'A gently unfolding detective story that delicately unpacks themes of food poverty, friendship and the importance of community spaces... The writing gives space for a range of perspectives' BooksforTopics, Ones to Watch - Middle Grade Round-up for Summer 2021, on The Cooking Club Detectives. 'The plot has been carefully and skilfully crafted to be a story within a story... It is so refreshing to find a well-written powerful standalone story for young adults that I hope it will be widely read and enjoyed' The School Librarian, on The Key to Finding Jack. 'Paints a convincing picture of a harrowing time in a young life... By no means a gloomy read, offering ample humour, hope and optimism' BookTrust, Bookmark Book of the Month, on The Mystery of the Colour Thief. 'Celebrating the importance of community, family and friends, this is a lovely, warm-hearted story' * The Week Junior, Book of the Week, on The Cooking Club Detectives *

PRAISE FOR EWA JOZEFKOWICZ: 'A heartfelt story about the importance of community and the power of food to connect people' Scotsman Best Children's Books of the Summer 2021, on The Cooking Club Detectives. 'A gently unfolding detective story that delicately unpacks themes of food poverty, friendship and the importance of community spaces ... The writing gives space for a range of perspectives and characters' background stories to be heard (as well as their recipes!)' BooksforTopics, Ones to Watch - Middle Grade Round-up for Summer 2021, on The Cooking Club Detectives. 'The plot has been carefully and skilfully crafted to be a story within a story ... It is so refreshing to find a well-written powerful standalone story for young adults that I hope it will be widely read and enjoyed' The School Librarian, on The Key to Finding Jack. 'Paints a convincing picture of a harrowing time in a young life ... By no means a gloomy read, offering ample humour, hope and optimism' BookTrust, Bookmark Book of the Month, on The Mystery of the Colour Thief. 'Celebrating the importance of community, family and friends, this is a lovely, warm-hearted story' * The Week Junior, Book of the Week, on The Cooking Club Detectives *

A beautifully written and captivating read but it also deals sensitively with important issues such as grief, courage, friendship and finding your voice * Armadillo Magazine * PRAISE FOR EWA JOZEFKOWICZ: 'A heartfelt story about the importance of community and the power of food to connect people' Scotsman Best Children's Books of the Summer 2021, on The Cooking Club Detectives. 'A gently unfolding detective story that delicately unpacks themes of food poverty, friendship and the importance of community spaces... The writing gives space for a range of perspectives' BooksforTopics, Ones to Watch - Middle Grade Round-up for Summer 2021, on The Cooking Club Detectives. 'The plot has been carefully and skilfully crafted to be a story within a story... It is so refreshing to find a well-written powerful standalone story for young adults that I hope it will be widely read and enjoyed' The School Librarian, on The Key to Finding Jack. 'Paints a convincing picture of a harrowing time in a young life... By no means a gloomy read, offering ample humour, hope and optimism' BookTrust, Bookmark Book of the Month, on The Mystery of the Colour Thief. 'Celebrating the importance of community, family and friends, this is a lovely, warm-hearted story' * The Week Junior, Book of the Week, on The Cooking Club Detectives *

PRAISE FOR EWA JOZEFKOWICZ: 'Jozefkowicz writes wonderfully about family, friendship and self-discovery' Fiona Noble, The Bookseller. 'A gently unfolding detective story that delicately unpacks themes of food poverty, friendship and the importance of community spaces ... The writing gives space for a range of perspectives and characters' background stories to be heard (as well as their recipes!)' BooksforTopics, Ones to Watch - Middle Grade Round-up for Summer 2021, on The Cooking Club Detectives. 'The plot has been carefully and skilfully crafted to be a story within a story ... It is so refreshing to find a well-written powerful standalone story for young adults that I hope it will be widely read and enjoyed' The School Librarian, on The Key to Finding Jack. 'Paints a convincing picture of a harrowing time in a young life ... By no means a gloomy read, offering ample humour, hope and optimism' BookTrust, Bookmark Book of the Month, on The Mystery of the Colour Thief. 'With convincingly drawn characters, relatable issues and important values at its heart, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read' * Books for Topics, on Girl 38: Finding a Friend *

A beautifully written and captivating read but it also deals sensitively with important issues such as grief, courage, friendship and finding your voice * Armadillo Magazine * A gorgeous read featuring strong friendship, books, a Polish legend and a dragon. Loved it! -- A.M. Howell, author of The Secret of the Treasure Keepers A glorious fairytale adventure full of friendship, unlikely heroes and magical Polish folklore. A book-lovers delight! -- Eve Wersocki Morris, author of The Bird Singers [Ewa Jozefkowicz's] best book yet. Deeply felt and enchanting, while delving into Polish folklore with characters to adore. Brilliant! -- Chris Soul, teacher and children's book reviewer Intriguing mixture of contemporary life and ancient myth exploring... the trauma of losing a parent and how one boy finds his way back to his friends and family * BookTrust * This beautifully written tale combines a wonderful magical adventure with a look at friendship, what it is to be brave and how to overcome sadness * The Week Junior *

Author Information

Ewa Jozefkowicz's debut novel The Mystery of the Colour Thief, published by Zephyr in 2018, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. Girl 38: Finding a Friend, blends contemporary times with WWII Poland. The Key to Finding Jack is about the special bond between siblings. And The Cooking Club Detectives tackles the impact of food poverty on children today. All are published by Zephyr. Ewa lives in London with her husband and twin daughters but regularly visits her family in Poland. www.ewajozefkowicz.com Twitter: @EwaJozefkowicz Insta: ewas_bookshelf

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