The Boy Who Lost His Spark

<p><b>From Maggie O'Farrell, the best-selling and award-winning author of <i>Hamnet</i> – now a Bafta and Golden Globe-winning film starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal – comes a stunningly illustrated picture book about a boy who overcomes the unhappiness of moving house and, through the power of storytelling,</b><b> regains his inner spark.</b><br><br><b>- An <i>ideal </i>gift and a truly enchanting read.</b><br><b>- Perfect for children aged 5-8 with themes of family bonds, dyslexia, moving house, myth and folklore.<br></b><br>When Jem and his family move to the countryside, he doesn’t like his new home one bit. It’s an old cottage on the side of a hill, where strange things keep happenin shoes are filled up with conkers, the stairs become tangled in a woollen maze. Jem’s sister Verity is certain it is the work of a “nouka”, an ancient creature from local folklore that lives deep down inside the hill. Jem, however, is adamant that there is no such thing...<br><br> But this small mythical creature, so attuned to the hearts and minds of others, <i>does </i>exist. And, what’s more, it is determined, through mischief and mayhem, to help Jem reignite the spark within himself once more.<br><br> <i>- WINNER of the KPMG Children's Books Ireland Honour Award for Fiction<br>- Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration</i><br><i>- Best Children’s and YA Books of 2022, Guardian</i><br><i>- RTE.ie Best Irish Children's Books of 2022</i><br><br><b>The second book in a trilogy of modern fairy tales by Maggie O'Farrell and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini featuring children with real life problems and the mythical creatures that attend to them.</b><b> Look out for <i>Where Snow Angels Go</i> and <i>When the Stammer Came to Stay. </i></b><br><br><b>“An autumnal balm for anyone in need of a little magic in their lives." – Alex O'Connell, <i>Children's Book of the Week, the Times</i></b><br><br> <b>“A glorious book, perfect as a gift.” – <i>LoveReading4Kids</i></b><br><br> <b>“This beautiful book will tug at the heart of any reader regardless of age. […] No one would be unhappy after seeing the stunning illustrations that accompany this extraordinary story.” – <i>Sunday Times</i></b><br><br> <b>“A gentle, empowering tale with entrancing illustrations.” – <i>Daily Mail</i></b><br><br> <b>“Wonderfully magical" – <i>Mariella Frostrup, Times Radio</i></b><br><br> <b>“Dramatic, incredibly evocative and full of atmosphere this is a stunning read." - <i>Armadillo Magazine</i></b><br><br> <b>“<i>The Boy Who Lost His Spark</i>, undeniably has a magical, timeless quality to it, reminiscent of those ancient Celtic legends. […] timeless" – <i>Irish Independent</i></b><br><br> <b>“Exploring how we deal with pain, loneliness and tough emotions when we face changes and challenges, it’s a beautiful book for everyone." – <i>Pick Me Up’s Book of the Week</i></b><br><br> <b>“An enchanting book. The stunning illustrations are such a treasure, creating an atmosphere and sense of wonder about the story.” – <i>The School Librarian</i></b><br><br> <b>“A really delightful story for 7-9 years. The story is beautifully told and the full colour illustrations are just gorgeous and really enhance the text. I loved it and it is an ideal book for an adult to read to a child or class or for a child to read alone.” – <i>Read for Good</i></b></p>