"An autumnal balm for anyone in need of a little magic in their lives." - Alex O'Connell, Children's Book of the Week, the Times
"A glorious book, perfect as a gift." - LoveReading4Kids
"This beautiful book will tug at the heart of any reader regardless of age. [...] No one would be unhappy after seeing the stunning illustrations that accompany this extraordinary story." - Sunday Times, "The 60 children's books you should buy this Christmas as chosen by the booksellers of Ireland"
"A gentle, empowering tale with entrancing illustrations." - Daily Mail
"Wonderfully magical" - Mariella Frostrup, Times Radio
"Dramatic, incredibly evocative and full of atmosphere this is a stunning read. - Armadillo Magazine
"The Boy Who Lost His Spark, undeniably has a magical, timeless quality to it, reminiscent of those ancient Celtic legends. [...] timeless" - Irish Independent
"Exploring how we deal with pain, loneliness and tough emotions when we face changes and challenges, it's a beautiful book for everyone." - Pick Me Up's Book of the Week
"The Boy Who Lost His Spark is a beautifully-crafted, old-fashioned folk story with a contemporary spin. [...] A gorgeous, heartwarming tale. - RTE.ie, "10 best Irish children's books of 2022"
An enchanting book. The stunning illustrations are such a treasure, creating an atmosphere and sense of wonder about the story. - The School Librarian
"A really delightful story for 7-9 years. The story is beautifully told and the full colour illustrations are just gorgeous and really enhance the text. I loved it and it is an ideal book for an adult to read to a child or class or for a child to read alone." - Read for Good
"This tender tale's folkloric magic is heightened by Daniela Terrazzini's atmospheric illustrations." - Best children's and YA books of 2022, Guardian
- WINNER of the KPMG Children's Books Ireland Honour Award for Fiction
- Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration
Someone in this house was sad but pretending not to be. Someone - and this thought made a smile curl up on its face - needed some nouka-mischief.
From Maggie O'Farrell, the best-selling and award-winning author of Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait, comes a picture book about a boy who overcomes the unhappiness of moving house, and how - through the power of storytelling and connecting to his feelings - he regains his inner spark.
When Jem and his family move to the countryside, he doesn't like his new home one bit. It's an old cottage on the side of a hill, where strange things keep happening: shoes are filled up with conkers, the stairs become tangled in a woollen maze. Jem's sister Verity is certain it is the work of a "nouka", an ancient creature from local folklore that lives deep down inside the hill. Jem, however, is adamant that there is no such thing.
But this small mythical creature, so attuned to the hearts and minds of others, does exist. And, what's more, it is determined, through mischief and mayhem, to help Jem reignite the spark within himself once more.
- The second book in a trilogy of modern fairy tales by Maggie O'Farrell and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini featuring children with real life problems and the mythical creatures that attend to them.
- Look out for Where Snow Angels Go and When the Stammer Came to Stay.
- An ideal Christmas gift and a truly enchanting read.
- Perfect for children aged 5-8 with themes of family bonds, dyslexia, moving house, myth and folklore.
