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Maggie and the Mountain of Light won the 2024 Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Youth Novel.
An exciting, action-packed, fantastical adventure featuring an unlikely and relatable hero. Maggie is an ordinary twelve-year-old girl, struggling with anxiety and allergies, and yet, due to the strength of her friendships, she is able to achieve extraordinary things. With an effortless blend of history and fantasy, matter-of-fact cultural diversity, and many laugh-out-loud moments.
With an all-girl main cast, the fictional organisation, The Wayfinder Girls, is based on Girl Guiding / Girl Scouts. The story celebrates friendship, courage, and responsibility with a healthy dose of humour and fun. It shows that anyone can be the hero of a story, even if they have anxiety, asthma and food allergies. And while it has fantasy elements, it is based in the real world.
The second book in the series, Maggie and the Cosmic Landfill, is currently in development.
Reviews
Kirkus ~ “a fun, fast-moving adventure with plenty to say about courage, friendship, and responsibility.”
The Children’s Book Review ~ “the story itself is full of magic and as much excitement as a James Bond thriller.”
Readers Favorite gave it a 5 star rating ~ “fast-paced and powerful mystery, fantasy, end-of-world story, that will have young readers engrossed to the very end.”
An eleven-year-old reviewer in the USA ~ “the book was a delight to read! While the beginning had a gentle pace, the narrative gained momentum and became incredibly thrilling as it unfolded. The author weaves a compelling narrative, blending themes of bravery and friendship with elements of fantasy and suspense.”
