2023 Carnegie Medal (nominee)
From the author of October, October, shortlisted for the 2022 CILIP Carnegie Medal, comes a life-affirming story about blended families and learning to find room in your heart for new life and new love.
Tom is still quiet and timid, even though his dad has been gone for nearly two years now.
Zofia is the opposite. Inside her there's a raging storm that makes her want to fight the whole world until she gets what she wants.
And what she wants is for scaredy-cat Tom to get out of her life. Tom hates loud, unpredictable Zofia just as much, but he's moving into Zofia's house. Because his mum and Zofia's dad are in love . and they're having a baby.
Tom and Zofia both wish the stupid baby had never happened. But then Tom's mum gets ill, and it begins to look horribly like their wish might come true .
A story of learning to trust, trying to let go and diving into the unknown with hope in your heart, with a stunning cover illustrated by CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal winner Sydney Smith.
Genre: Children's Fiction
Tom is still quiet and timid, even though his dad has been gone for nearly two years now.
Zofia is the opposite. Inside her there's a raging storm that makes her want to fight the whole world until she gets what she wants.
And what she wants is for scaredy-cat Tom to get out of her life. Tom hates loud, unpredictable Zofia just as much, but he's moving into Zofia's house. Because his mum and Zofia's dad are in love . and they're having a baby.
Tom and Zofia both wish the stupid baby had never happened. But then Tom's mum gets ill, and it begins to look horribly like their wish might come true .
A story of learning to trust, trying to let go and diving into the unknown with hope in your heart, with a stunning cover illustrated by CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal winner Sydney Smith.
Genre: Children's Fiction
Praise for this book
"This story literally took me by storm. A brave heart-dive into the deep emotions of Tom and Zofia, it's beautifully told with care and tenderness." - Jasbinder Bilan
"Heartbreaking and heart-warming in equal measure - warm, compassionate, insightful, lyrical, beautiful and uplifting." - Catherine Bruton
"A sensitive story about stitching a new family together from frayed pieces. So vividly imagined you can taste the salt in the air." - Aisha Bushby
"A bold, bright story of blended families, and how two remarkable children cope when their lives change dramatically. Katya Balen's writing fizzes with her trademark originality and voice. This is another stunningly good read from one of my favourite authors." - Emma Carroll
"I loved this book. The deftness with which Katya creates such passionate, funny, broken, brave characters. What an achievement. Katya Balen can break your heart and make you snort with laughter in the same sentence." - Natasha Farrant
"I absolutely LOVE all Katya's writing and I adored reading this book. It's such a beautiful, subtle story which just transported me into the worlds of Zofia and Tom and like all the very finest stories, it has left a little shard of those lives within it lodged deep in my heart." - Sophie Kirtley
"I loved this book." - Hilary McKay
"This is Balen's best book yet: ambitious, funny, spirited, moving, heartfelt and bold all at once. She's a force to be reckoned with." - Ross Montgomery
"Katya Balen is rapidly becoming one of my favourite writers. This is a beautiful book that will capture you from the first page. An incredible book by an incredible writer. I loved it." - Lisa Thompson
"Heartbreaking and heart-warming in equal measure - warm, compassionate, insightful, lyrical, beautiful and uplifting." - Catherine Bruton
"A sensitive story about stitching a new family together from frayed pieces. So vividly imagined you can taste the salt in the air." - Aisha Bushby
"A bold, bright story of blended families, and how two remarkable children cope when their lives change dramatically. Katya Balen's writing fizzes with her trademark originality and voice. This is another stunningly good read from one of my favourite authors." - Emma Carroll
"I loved this book. The deftness with which Katya creates such passionate, funny, broken, brave characters. What an achievement. Katya Balen can break your heart and make you snort with laughter in the same sentence." - Natasha Farrant
"I absolutely LOVE all Katya's writing and I adored reading this book. It's such a beautiful, subtle story which just transported me into the worlds of Zofia and Tom and like all the very finest stories, it has left a little shard of those lives within it lodged deep in my heart." - Sophie Kirtley
"I loved this book." - Hilary McKay
"This is Balen's best book yet: ambitious, funny, spirited, moving, heartfelt and bold all at once. She's a force to be reckoned with." - Ross Montgomery
"Katya Balen is rapidly becoming one of my favourite writers. This is a beautiful book that will capture you from the first page. An incredible book by an incredible writer. I loved it." - Lisa Thompson
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Used availability for Katya Balen's The Light in Everything