Author(s): Eloise Williams (author), August Ro (illustrator)
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Publication date: March 2022
About the publisher: Barrington Stoke is a small, independent and award-winning children’s publisher. For over 20 years we’ve been pioneering super-readable, dyslexia-friendly fiction to help every child become a reader. From our specially designed font to the colour of our paper, accessibility is at the heart of everything we do. (Taken from the Barrington Stoke website)
In the wake of a tempest hitting her town, Morwenna is left to take care of a stranger washed ashore. The storm is just another of many that have plagued the town for years – people blame the tide singers, legendary sea people who are said to charm storms with their singing. Morwenna has never believed the tales, but when she is left alone with the stranger, she realises this is no ordinary girl.
Can the stories be true? Can the girl control the tides with nothing more than her voice? Her arrival brings danger of a different kind, and Morwenna must draw on all the courage she has in order to stop a conflict that could destroy her home…
My inner 10-year-old was so happy with the opening of The Tide Singer. I’ve always been fascinated by cemeteries and anything vaguely morbid which I am fairly sure was a result of early exposure to My Girl and plenty of Stephen King novels.
“Our family have owned the funeral parlour in Carregton Crow and been the cemetery keepers for as long as history can remember. They’re important jobs. The town is small and everyone knows each other, so we all feel the loss when someone dies.”
There’s much to love about The Tide Singer. It’s so atmospheric, you can feel the cold drafts, see the dark corners, and smell the sea air around you. Williams’ character and world-building are extraordinary in such a short book. Most importantly there are the messages within the story about tolerance, understanding, and questioning the world around you rather than maintaining the status quo.
Additionally, August Ro’s wonderful illustrations help to bring the story to life and provide dimension.
Although the book is formatted with dyslexic/reluctant readers in mind, it is a story for all. A really wonderful book and just another example of Eloise Williams’ writing talent.
Many thanks to Barrington Stoke for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You can read an extract of The Tide Singer here.
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Wishing you a wonderfully bookish week,
Roachie's Reviews 
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