LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
Interest Age 9+ Reading Age 8
Lucy Strange’s new novel is a ghost story, a family history, a drama inspired both by myth and real-life tragedy.
Nine-year-old George loves reading and writing and his teacher recognises his special talent, encouraging him to keep up his studies. But in the nineteenth century, George has no choice but to start work in the mine and spend long hours toiling underground, though he can see the terrible physical toll it’s taken on his father and uncle. In the heat and dark of the coalface, his imagination conjures up the figure of the minotaur, subject of a story in a book of myths he discovers hidden in his bedroom; when the mine begins to flood however, the minotaur offers George his only hope of escape.
A disaster at a pit in Yorkshire in 1838 saw 26 children drowned, the youngest just seven years old. Reimagining this dreadful event, Lucy Strange is able to bring the children to safety, while emphasising the courage and resilience of the miners as well as the inhuman way they were treated.
Andrea Reece
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About
The Storm and the Minotaur Synopsis
‘How could I possibly tell anyone that down there in the darkness I had visions of a monster?’
The Storm and the Minotaur adeptly interweaves myth, mystery and a touch of magic in this gripping and atmospheric tale set against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution.
Money is scarce in George's family and so at the age of nine he has to join his father underground, hewing coal in the local mine. It's far from the dreams George had of continuing his education, and it's also a dangerous way to earn a living that has already claimed the life of his dad's older brother.
Not long after he starts work, a summer storm leads to flooding in the mine. Trapped down in the dark, George spots a shadowy figure that seems to be telling George to follow him. Can a ghost from the past lead him back to safety, or will George meet the same fate as his long-lost uncle?
A note from the author: “I’m absolutely delighted to be publishing another book with Barrington Stoke. I sing the praises of this publisher everywhere I go: for young people who lack confidence with reading, Barrington Stoke books can be life-changing. It is an honour to work with Ailsa and the rest of the Barrington Stoke team. Pam Smy is quite simply the illustrator of my dreams! - our visions of the characters and their world align so perfectly. The Storm and the Minotaur was written during the heatwave last summer and was inspired by the Huskar Pit disaster of 1838. It is a story of courage and hope, and I can’t wait to share it with young readers.” Lucy Strange
A note from the editor: “I am thrilled to bring our readers another captivating collaboration from stellar storyteller Lucy Strange and acclaimed illustrator Pam Smy. The Storm and the Minotaur showcases their incredible talents in a story that is both gripping and heartfelt, bringing this important historical period to life and making it accessible in an engaging and sensitive way.” Ailsa Bathgate
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781800902473 |
| Publication date: |
3rd August 2023 |
| Author: |
Lucy Strange |
| Illustrator: |
Pam Smy |
| Publisher: |
Barrington Stoke Ltd |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
85 pages |
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Press Reviews
Lucy Strange Press Reviews
'Superb, an eerie weaving of history and mythology, in the hollow, haunted world of not-so-long-ago.' - Hilary McKay
Praise for The Mermaid in the Millpond;
“A slight but poignant novella” The Times
“Transports us from our world to an almost timeless zone of wonder” The Bookbag
“A gripping story of courage, kindness and friendship” Books for Keeps
“Evocative and eerie” Karen McCombie
“Punchy, emotional and captivating” Teach Reading and Writing
Author
About Lucy Strange
Lucy Strange is the best-selling children's author of titles including The Secret of Nightingale Wood, a Waterstones Children's Book of the Month, and Our Castle by the Sea, which was nominated for the Carnegie Medal, shortlisted for the Waterstones Book Prize, and was the first Independent Booksellers' Children's Book of the Month.
After studying English Literature at Sheffield University, Lucy Strange trained at the Oxford School of Drama and worked as an actor, singer and storyteller for some years before becoming an English and Drama teacher. On moving to Dubai, she launched the award-winning blog Homesick and Heatstruck and has worked as a freelance writer.
More About Lucy Strange
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