The Girl with Gills

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents The Girl with Gills by Becca Rogers, read by Tian Chaudhry.

An original, middle grade fantasy debut awash with adventure. A determined heroine and a sinister villain clash to reveal river lore in a watery world of fantastical creatures and colossal challenges.

In a time and place which might be now, people with gills, outcast Larkers, live in secret communities.

They have houseboats along the river. Concealing their gills from land lubbers, they scour the mudbanks, trade their finds and live off their wits. Thirteen-year-old Effra has been supporting her brother, Fleet, alone since their beloved grandfather died six months ago.

When merciless Rivermun, a larker gone bad, threatens Fleet, Effra's quests begins. Rivermun asks for the impossible - he wants to overpower Mother River, to possess the river serpent’s pearl and for age-old debts to be settled. Effra must bargain with the imposing Mother River, dive into the underwater parts of the city, venture deep into the Rat Queen’s lair and confront the terrible river serpent to save not only Fleet, but everything the Larkers stand for. Luckily, she is not alone. She befriends a sentient sewer rat and a landlubber girl called Bow, who will help her in her quest.

Critics Review

'A beautifully written story, brimming with river magic, where ancient lore flows through every page. Thrilling, heartfelt, and luminous, Effra’s journey carries the reader on a tide of friendship, courage, and wonder.’
Vashti Hardy, author of The Brightstorm Chronicles
‘A stunning debut vividly imagined and beautifully written with deliciously unexpected twists along the way’
Jasbinder Bilan, winner of the Costa Children's Book Award
'Suspenseful storytelling and an engaging writing style make this delightfully imaginative fun for 8+'
New Statesman, Best Children’s Books Summer 2025
'[An] original and exciting novel... The world-building here is so seamless it’s almost unnoticeable'
School Reading List, Best Children's Books Summer 2025
‘The Girl with Gills enchanted me from the first page. Rogers has woven a rich and mysterious world with a loveable protagonist in Effra and some truly terrifying villains!’
Phillipa Leathley, author of Inkbound
'A delight! Rogers has created a rich underwater world that bubbles over with layers of myth and magic.’
Siobhan McDermott, author of Paper Dragons
‘The characters are drawn with depth and urgency, and the world truly immersive. It feels like a classic... A brilliant, imaginative debut.’
Nazima Pathan, author
'A glittering treasure of a book... With a plot as swift as a river, this story grabs us by the hand and pulls us down into an intriguing, underwater world. The Girl with Gills has a classic, folkloric feel that I’m sure will have children wanting to dive into the pages again and again. A marvellous achievement.'
Ash Bond, author
'Fast-paced, filled with magic, jeopardy and joy, The Girl with Gills is guaranteed to dive into every reader’s heart'
Lancaster Guardian
'Exciting and full of jeopardy...a terrific tale, with hold-your-breath chases and escapes. An excellent read and a very effective page-turner'
Armadillo Magazine

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