The Snow Angel

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents The Snow Angel by Lauren St John, read by Gilian Burke.

Lauren St John's stunning Christmas classic is about forgotten children, the power of nature to heal us and a girl who will climb mountains in search for a place to call home. Nominated for the 2019 Carnegie Medal.

Growing up in vibrant, crowded Nairobi, Makena has only one dream: to climb Mount Kenya like her hero, her mountain guide father. But when her beautiful world is shattered, she finds that in the city's dark places there are a thousand ways to fall, each more deadly than any crevasse. In a world of strangers, does she dare trust Snow, whose ballet dreams are haunted by a past she's still running from? And is the sparkling fox friend or foe?

After a fresh start in the Scottish Highlands turns bad, Makena flees to the mountains. But will they betray her or be the making of her?

Critics Review

An absolute triumph. A hymn to mountains, lost children and kind hearts. Tenderly told and fierce in its quest for hope
Abi Elphinstone, author of The Dreamsnatcher
A glorious story of loss, refuge, home, heart, snow and mountains. I loved it
Katherine Rundell, author of Rooftoppers
Loaded with mountain-climbing, wild animals, survival skills and bags of hope
The Times, Books of the Year
A powerful thread of hope and humanity shines through the story, transforming it into something utterly life-affirming... Cornish artist Catherine Hyde's full-page illustrations elevate The Snow Angel into an exceptionally beautiful gift book, lending shape and atmosphere to the magic glimmering beneath the words of this modern-day fairytale'
Observer
A great story, easy to read, and swiftly devoured
MinervaReads
A life-affirming and moving story which packs a similar emotional punch to a Michael Morpurgo novel... Compelling and compassionate'
Books for Keeps
Beautifully written... Any review of The Snow Angel wouldn't be complete without a special mention of the black and white illustrations by Catherine Hyde which effectively evoke emotion and add to the book's mystical atmosphere'
The Bookbag
Everything about this book [...] will make you feel good
Cliff McNish, author of Breathe
A beautiful story that will stay with me for a long time. Lauren St John is such a wonderful writer and Catherine Hyde's illustrations are stunning
Christopher Edge, author of The Jamie Drake Equation.
A powerful modern day fairytale about the strength of the human spirit, the power of friendship and beauty of nature [with] gorgeous, full-page illustrations
Muddy Stilettos.
If the spirit of Christmas is kindness and compassion, The Snow Angel could not be more appropriate reading
The Sunday Times Book of the Year
Uplifting, and a reminder of nature's healing power
Herald
Tender and fierce storytelling, a perfect Christmas read for teens
Western Morning News
Catherine Hyde's black-and-white illustrations add to the sense of magic that Lauren St John creates in her descriptions of the African and Scottish landscapes... Readers will finish this book more aware of the little things we can do to make the world a better place for everyone'
BookTrust
This remarkable book [is] a fable as much as it is a fast-paced adventure, and its huge heart pulses at the centre of the action, meaning that however hard Makena's life becomes, there's always hope'
Katherine Rundell, Waterstone's blog
A beautiful modern fairy tale of snow, mountains and magic
The Week Junior
Catherine Hyde's beautiful illustrations also add a touch of magic to this tale, helping to transform it into a modern-day fairytale that deserves to become a modern-day classic
Childtastic Books
Lauren St John has a gorgeous descriptive writing style that captivated me from the start. She tells her story, with warmth, empathy and honesty... It's a fantastic story that I highly recommend'
With Love for Books
Lauren St John has created amazing landscapes, peopled by extraordinary characters... Beautifully illustrated by Catherine Hyde, this is a heart-warming story of memory and loss, finding and renewal'
The School Librarian

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