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Katya Balen is an award-winning author of books for children. Katya's debut novel, The Space We’re In, was published in 2019 and was highly commended for the Branford Boase Award. Her second, October, October, won the Yoto Carnegie Medal. Her third novel, The Light in Everything, was published in 2022. When she’s not writing books, Katya likes to scroll through dog-rescue websites, bake, and attempt to keep all her house plants alive. She lives in London with her partner and their dogs Raffi and Mouse. Rachael Dean is a UK-based children’s book illustrator, who lives on the coast near Liverpool. She has created illustrations for middle-grade fiction as well as picture books, and was recently selected to illustrate Dame Jacqueline Wilson’s new titles. Rachael works traditionally and digitally, painting images that are vividly rich and bold, and she enjoys gathering inspiration from beautiful scenes of nature. In her spare time, she loves to play the piano, cook, and spend time at her local National Trust.
Bursting with quirky characters and imaginative world-building elements, this is the start of a delightful young fiction series. Clem and her friends live in a friendly community, and the warmth of that group infuses the whole story. Short chapters and fun illustrations bring huge appeal for readers who are keen to dive in to engaging but accessible stories - BookTrust on THE THAMES AND TIDE CLUB: SECRET CITY Clem and the sparring twins Ash and Zara are part of a diverse group of mudlarkers who search the shores of the Thames for artefacts and rubbish, and frequent the mudlarking museum, a place of hot chocolate and mystery. Finding a strange object endangers both London and the river, and the three have to enter a fishily named underwater London (Codvent Garden but still Finsbury Park), and meet a self-important snail, menacing eels and a petulant porpoise to put things right. This is the first of a series by the Carnegie medal-winner Balen. The fun is in the sometimes satirical tone, the lively detail in both text and illustrations, and unexpected phrases: “A frankly terrifying china object, shaped like an evil kitten”; “Tower Bridge swayed like a dandelion in the wind” - The Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week on THE THAMES AND TIDE CLUB: SECRET CITY Who doesn’t love a good fish pun? Or even a bad one, for that matter. In this brilliantly briny adventure story, Clem and her mudlarking pals are plunged into the secret world of underwater London . . . This is Katya Balen’s first series for younger readers, following the success of her novels for older children, such as October, October, which won the Yoto Carnegie Medal last year. She is clearly delighting in the daftness of gangster eels and stroppy porpoises, but retains the sensitive style that is her trademark. The action bobs along with the help of black and white illustrations and maps of this secret underwater city by Rachael Dean. Although there is an environmental message, it is never pushed too hard, less a dreary lecture and more a gentle undercurrent that bubbles beneath all the magic and mudlarking. There is much for young readers to enjoy. Dive in - The Times Children's Book of the Week on THAMES AND TIDE CLUB: SECRET CITY Katya Balen’s October, October is a very special new addition to the shelf and deserves classic status * Times Children's Book of the Week on OCTOBER, OCTOBER * The most wonderful, original treasure of a story * Emma Carroll on OCTOBER, OCTOBER *
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