LoveReading4Kids Says
July 2024 Debut of the Month | Interest age 10 Reading age 10+
The distinctive vernacular of the north-east enriches this time-slip story which links present day challenges and grief with a 19th century tragedy.
Archie lives with his mum and grandad in Heaton, almost directly above the scene of a mining disaster that took the lives of 75 men and boys two hundred years ago. His own life is affected by the area’s industrial history too. His grandad is fighting for breath after a lifetime working in the pit, his dad has disappeared looking for work elsewhere, and life for him and his friends is tough.
The stories combine one terrible night of torrential rain. Archie is beaten up by the local thugs and almost drowns in the mine entrance. While unconscious, he finds himself back in time, trapped in the mine, his prize possession, the fiddle passed down to him by his grandad, providing the miners with much-needed comfort even though they know they’ll never see daylight again. It’s music that saves Archie and provides the story with an ending that offers hope of new beginnings.
Dark Flood won its author the Hachette Children’s Novel Award and it’s an impressive debut, well-plotted, full of memorable characters and scenes and with a strong sense of place.
Andrea Reece
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Dark Flood Synopsis
A stunning timeslip tale about a boy who finds himself trapped in a well-known mining incident that happened many years before! This story of family, community and hope by debut author Karon Alderman is perfect for fans of Skellig and The Wild Way Home.
Everyone knows the history of the famous Heaton Main coal mine accident - but that's never interested Archie. Why would he bother about the past when he's got more than enough to worry about right now? Like his Granda's health taking a turn for the worse. And the shifty Robson twins from across the street deciding they have it in for him.
With the help of his best-friends Adila and Kyle, Archie goes on a mission to raise money for his Granda's recovery while also avoiding the Robsons at all costs. But when timelines collide during an unexpected storm, Archie is pulled more than two-hundred years into the past, and into an experience that will change his life forever. . .
If he can make it back.
Dyslexia-friendly font and typesetting make this book more accessible.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781510109117 |
| Publication date: |
4th July 2024 |
| Author: |
Karon Alderman |
| Publisher: |
Orion Children's Books an imprint of Hachette Children's Group |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
240 pages |
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About Karon Alderman
Karon Alderman was the New Writing North x Hachette 2022 winner, and is based in Newcastle with her husband, four children and assorted pets. Prior to this, her brilliant children's fiction writing won the Northern Promise Award 2012, and came runner-up in the 2010 Frances Lincoln Diverse Fiction Award. She currently works as an English and creative writing teacher, dyslexia specialist and exams adjustment assessor at Newcastle City Learning.
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