Harklights

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The illustrations in this fantasy book are simply beautiful, so it's a shame I couldn't connect with the story more. I never do well with stories that are basically morality tales of modern day issues, and I didn't originally realise that this was one, otherwise I may have skipped it. I always knew the Hobs looked after the forest. Originally, I imagined a book of forest law that the Hobs followed, a little bit like the Countryside Code. As the idea developed, I thought of different ways the Hobs could look after the forest inhabitants, whether they were plants, trees, animals or birds. Brewers wove its way into the roots of Harklights - the Hobs take their name from Hob, a Scottish household spirit. And Nissa's name comes from Nisse, meaning gnome in Norwegian. How close to nature do you feel your everyday life is? What can each of us do to become better 'nature keepers'? Heartfelt meditation about living alongside grief’: A Shelter for Sadness by Anne Booth and David Litchfield. Illustration: David Litchfield

Bookwagon loves Harklights. It’s a suggestion of something pure, magical, certain and necessary. We recommend this title to all wonderers, visionaries, optimists and environmentalists. This book is a beautifully illustrated, magical adventure which teaches empathy towards the natural world and is an ideal extra-curriculum read to stimulate discussion about man’s relationship with the environment. An asset to any school Library’s bookshelves! Old ma bogey and her father end up penniless and she swears to get revenge by destroying their homes and enslaving them once again. A very engaging adventure from illustrator & author Tim Tilley. I am so excited to get this into the hands of readers of all ages.Forests full of signs also abounded in Amy Raphael’s debut novel, The Forest of Moon and Sword (Orion/Hachette), in which a resourceful young girl, Art, sets out to save her medicine woman mother, accused of witchcraft.

How will he get over the high wall surrounding the orphanage? And how will he convince the tiny folk he is not a destructive human?This heart-warming and enchanting story was a pleasure to lose myself in, with charming illustrations that depict a world of imagination and wonder. The writing is cleverly crafted move the narrative beyond being just about fanciful miniature worlds and people, but more so about the underlying message of the importance of protection and conservation. A match factory which masquerades as an orphanage. A manikin which it emerges was once alive. A monster which in reality mayn’t be alive. Butterflies which aren’t insects. A boy who doubts he has what it takes to put things right. It’s all here in Harklights, a debut novel from the first ever winner of the Joan Aiken Future Classics Prize, set in a vaguely Victorian world with elements of fantasy and steampunk.

Years later, on a return trip to Bradgate, we were amazed to see that the hollow oak was still standing. We couldn't crawl inside the oak anymore, but it didn't matter. As we left, in the fading light, what appeared to a faraway tree, stood up and revealed itself to be a stag. The moment burned in my mind and sparked the idea for the tree-stag. Nature needs our help in protecting it. If you have a garden, yard or balcony - even a very small one - plant a tree and wild flowers for bees and insects. If you don't have a place to turn into a wild patch, then you could join your local Watch Wildlife group run by The Wildlife Trust. Winner of the Joan Aiken Future Classics Prize, Harklights is a magical story celebrating family, friendship and the natural world, filled with a message of hope for our times.The winners of the Diverse Book Awards 2023 have been announced, with one winner from each of the four categories announced: Picture book, Children... This is an exciting adventure with a serious message, ‘Nature takes care of us, it is only right that we take care of it in return.’