Over a million hectares of wild bush-clad land and one young hunter …
Nissa Marshall knows that something is hiding deep in the forests of Fiordland National Park – she’s seen their lights in the trees. But what are they, and why does no one else seem to notice them?
When Nissa abandons her school camp to track down the mysterious lights, she finds herself lost in a dangerous wonderland. But she’s not the only one in danger – the bush and the creatures are under threat too – and she wants to help. What can a school kid do where adults have failed, and can she find her way back? In Fiordland, the lost usually stay lost.
Spark Hunter is an epic Kiwi adventure-fantasy – a story of survival in one of the world’s last great wildernesses.
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An exciting Kiwi adventure-fantasy set in Fiordland that explores ecological issues.
Accolades & Reviews
Listed in the NZ Listener’s Top Children’s Books for 2021
Best First Book Award in the 2022 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults
The judges said: “Perfectly pitched for middle fiction readers, Spark Hunter weaves history, culture, conservation, humour, tension and adventure into her story of Nissa Marshall, who has always known there is more to the Fiordland Bush than meets the eye. While leaning into the fantastic just enough to encourage the imagination, the inclusion of archival excerpts will spark keen readers to hunt out their own discoveries within the mysterious history of this corner of Aotearoa. Making this story’s light shine bright is te reo Māori blended throughout and a cast of supporting characters that are easily recognisable as classmates, teachers, and friends.”
A mother-and-daughter review on Kete Books: “Spark Hunter is an original, fresh fantasy novel for young readers, lovingly crafted from author Sonya Wilson’s memories of a childhood spent roaming Fiordland. Her contemporary mythological world is populated by Sparks – the essences of native flora and fauna, both threatened by and dependent on the human world. Drawing on both Māori and European cultural markers, Wilson successfully navigates between inspiration and appropriation, creating a unique world that will captivate middle grade readers, as well as their parents.
Read the full review.
More about Spark Hunter
Author Sonya Wilson, a self-described super nerd, writes for The Spinoff about her love for Fiordland.
Meet the Kiwi author
Find out more about Kiwi author Sonya Wilson on her author profile.
