Sweep

"This atmospheric work of historical fiction and magical realism takes place in nineteenth-century London. Narrator Sarah Coomes creates a variety of voices for the chimney sweeps - Cockney climbing kids who are the featured characters. Listeners meet Nan Sparrow, the legendary climber; a malevolent master; a soft-spoken Jewish immigrant; a gentle chimney sweep; and Charlie - Nan's 'monster'.... Coomes's monster's squeaky voice is jarring at first, but listeners will quickly discover that it fits his kind and childlike personality. Coomes's voice and Auxier's prose combine to create an immersive experience. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award." (AudioFile magazine)

For nearly a century, Victorian London relied on "climbing boys" - orphans owned by chimney sweeps - to clean flues and protect homes from fire. The work was hard, thankless, and brutally dangerous.

Eleven-year-old Nan Sparrow is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived - and a girl. With her wits and will, she's managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again. But when Nan gets stuck in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come.

Instead, she wakes to find herself in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature - a golem - made from ash and coal. This is the creature that saved her from the fire.

Sweep is the story of a girl and her monster. Together, these two outcasts carve out a life - saving one another in the process. By one of today's most powerful storytellers, Sweep is a heartrending adventure about the everlasting gifts of friendship and hope.


Genre: Children's Fiction