Tidemagic: The Many Faces of Ista Flit
By Author / Illustrator
Clare Harlow
Genre
Fantasy
Age range(s)
9+
Publisher
Puffin
ISBN
9780241636053
Format
Paperback / softback
Published
02-05-2024
Synopsis
Be swept away by an exquisite and unforgettable adventure from a stunning new talent in children's storytelling, perfect for fans of Northern Lights and The Unadoptables.
Meet Ista Flit. Daughter. Face-changer. Thief . . . Amongst the cobbled streets and misty alleyways of Shelwich, magic rises and falls with the Tide. When the Tide is out, the magic ebbs to a low murmur. When the Tide is in, the magic is high - and Tide-blessings are at their strongest.
For most people, the Tide-blessing they are born with is nothing more than a simple party trick: eyes that change colour, or the ability to recite a poem backwards. Some, though, are blessed with more powerful gifts. Telepathy. Flight. Or, in the case of Ista Flit, being able to transform to look like someone else. Anyone else...
Ista has come to Shelwich in search of her missing father, and she'll do anything to find him - even work for Shelwich's most notorious thief. Then she meets Nat and Ruby, both struggling with their own search: Nat for his little brother, Ravi, and Ruby for her sister Saf.
As more strange disappearances send shockwaves through the town, they must form a tentative friendship and draw on all the Tidemagic they can to unravel a mystery that leads to an old, abandoned theatre, and to the ancient caves beneath Shelwich. But what they find there will be far more than they have bargained for...
Reviews
Donna
Ista Flit is on a mission to find her father. With the help of her new friend, and by using her gift, she starts uncovering clues. But will she be able to solve the mystery, and who can she really trust?
Clare Harlow's Tidemagic: The Many Faces of Ista Flit is a captivating tale that takes the reader on an exciting journey of discovery. Ista is an impetuous and courageous girl who is able to 'take on' the look of anyone that she meets in order to disguise herself. This 'gift' can have many positives and negatives and would be a fabulous question to pose to a class of children. Links to the pros and cons of AI in current day could be discussed as a parallel to put this into a real-world situation, as well as investigating 'gifts' of their own and the positives and negatives of these.
Within the book, Ista is 'beholden' to Alexo, completing tasks to win back her prized possession and her freedom. Again, this concept can be discussed with UKS2 children to look at the issues of blackmail - possibly linked with the dangers of the internet and sharing of inappropriate images etc, as well as finding parallels with modern day slavery, illegal immigration or the concept of what is appropriate behaviour with a focus on the balance of power.
Throughout the book, Ista's preconceived ideas of others are challenged. She must learn to trust and re-think what she believes. This could provide an opportunity within PSHE to discuss prejudice and discrimination examining with children what views they already hold and why, and then offering alternatives to challenge that thinking.
Clare Harlow mentions how she came across the idea for Tidemagic and children could be challenged to think of everyday areas within their lives where magic could appear and what effect it could have.
An engaging and exciting book offering a wide range of ways to engage children aged 8+ in discussion and debate about some difficult themes.
320 pages / Reviewed by Donna Burkert, teacher
Suggested Reading Age 9+