Seaglass

Lark is 13, and her life is difficult. Her mother is ill, her sister, Snow, has stopped talking and her best friend has a boyfriend, so she and Lark are no longer close. Lark is troubled, and struggles to contain her anger at times. Lark and her family come to a caravan park on the Welsh coast for a break. While exploring, Lark and Snow discover a ruined house. In this eerie, creepy place, Snow finds an old doll buried in the ruins and takes it back to the caravan. Events take a sinister turn when Lark thinks she sees a little girl dressed in green. Snow sees her too, and becomes fascinated with her. But the mysterious girl is lonely and desperately wants a friend; Lark quickly realises that her little sister is in danger. This is a beautifully written ghost story, creepy enough to give you a chill, but not too terrifying for younger readers. The characters are intriguing - I loved feisty Lark, trying to sort out her own confused feelings while watching out for her family. Even though Snow does not talk for the first part of the story, the author still manages to make the reader care about what happens to her. I also loved the way the girls' grandmother (Mam-gu) becomes an integral part of the tale, linking the past and the present. The writing is very atmospheric, the descriptions of the foggy beach and the dark woodland are the perfect backdrop to this accomplished book. The ending is both exciting and very moving; even though the ghost seems to be threatening the children, the author still makes us feel sympathy for her plight. All in all, I loved this book. I have been reading it in school, and I now have a small group of pupils who were attracted to the beautiful cover, and asked questions about the story. They are now waiting eagerly to read it too! 280 pages / Ages 9+ / Reviewed by Beverley Somerset, school librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 9+