Zephyr ISBN: 9781789543568 £12.99
This is the heart-warming third novel by Ewa Jozefkowich, (a Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlisted author and author of ‘Girl 38: Finding a friend’ and ‘The Mystery of the Colour Thief’).
This latest children’s novel is a story about a special bond between siblings, about the riches of family and the power of living life to the full. Flick’s big brother Jack goes missing in Peru and she is desperate to find him. She loves solving puzzles. Jack goes to Peru on his gap year and tragedy strikes when an earthquake devastates the region of Peru where he is travelling. Flick adores Jack and she and her family are left in a terrible situation of not knowing if he is alive or dead. Flick finds that Jack has left his fine gold chain behind at home with a note saying ‘For S.F. to keep until I’m back’. Who is S.F.? Flick sets out to uncover the mystery and, in doing so, meets new friends, rekindles a special relationship and discovers a whole new side to her brother.
Featuring a story within a story this book is imaginative and a moving story. It is a compassionate story about family, friends and discovering oneself.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as a reviewer and, as a retired Geography teacher, I found it accurate in the description of the frightening experience of an earthquake. It gave well researched insight into the geography of Peru. Superbly constructed, it is a book that many children aged 9 to 11 will find hard to put down once they start to read
Paul Baker
