May 2018 Book of the Month | In a nutshell: old magic in the real world of today
A game of Truth or Dare in the humdrum setting of a school trip coach journey is the starting point for Sally Christie’s highly original story. Matt isn’t a quick thinker, so when he’s asked to tell his new school mates something true and unusual, he reveals that he’s seen a fairy. No-one believes him except for Jazzy - perhaps playing Ariel in a production of The Tempest has coloured her view of the world. Together they keep watch in the local woods for its mysterious inhabitants, to the confusion and envy of Jazzy’s former best friend Tash. Next to the strange, magical fairy world glimpsed in the woods, our own seems both more vivid and shabbier, but this beautifully-written, unforgettable story ends with a real sense of hope and growth. ~Andrea Reece
Matt is new, quiet and shy.Jazzy is outspoken, popular, confident.They'd never normally be friends.But things in the village of Burnham Stone aren't normal: Matt has seen something extraordinary up in Burnham Wood. And Jazzy is the only one who believes him.With the help of Matt's little dog and Jazzy's little sister, the two make surprising discoveries - and unleash such a powerful force that nothing can ever be the same again.A wonderful story about friends, growing up, and the very real magic in the world around us.
Sally Christie's first job, nearly thirty years ago, was with a publisher of children's books. While she was there, she had a go at writing herself and (cunningly calling herself Syd Carter) sent the story to an editor in her own office. It was accepted. She has grown up a lot since then, with two notable results: The Icarus Show is a much better story than Syd's was; and she felt able to submit it to David Fickling Books under her own name.
