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Across the Risen Sea

by Bren MacDibble

Interest age: 9 to 12
Reading age: 9+

Published by Old Barn Books, 2020

  • Adventure
  • Around the world
  • Dystopia

About this book

When three strangers arrive on her island home, everything Neoma thought she knew about the world is turned upside down.

Set in a near-future where rising sea levels have decimated the land, Neoma and her best friend Jaguar live in a close-knit community on the Ockery Islands. They live simple lives, fishing and scavenging. But when the strangers arrive and install some strange tech on the hillside, ignoring the islanders’ protests, everything changes.

Who are they? Where did they come from? And what are they doing?

The strangers’ actions set in motion a deadly mystery that threatens the peaceful community. And when Jaguar is kidnapped as a result, Neoma embarks on a dangerous journey across the sea to find the mysterious Valley of the Sun, rescue Jaguar, and get answers. She’ll have to tackle crocodiles, sharks, and a ruthless pirate to get there.  – can she survive the dangers, evade capture and save her home?

Short chapters, plenty of action and the mystery at its heart make this a really exciting read. Neoma is a wild spark of a character but passionate and kind-hearted, and the story touches on deeper issues such as environmental protection, modern slavery, and themes of freedom and respect.

About the author

Bren MacDibble won the Australian Children's Book Council Book of the Year Award, as well as the New Zealand Book Award for Junior Fiction in 2018 with her novel How to Bee - and simultaneously claimed the top award in the YA category in New Zealand for her debut novel, written under the penname Cally Black. She is undoubtedly one of the most important new names to emerge from the Australian children's fiction world in recent years.

The Dog Runner is a meticulously researched, yet empathetic and gripping adventure story which will inspire young readers to think about the implications of climate change and how they will help to mitigate them. It has been shortlisted for the Red Magazine Big Book Award 2019 in the UK, as well as for the New Zealand Book Award for Junior Fiction.

After rebuilding her home, destroyed in a wildfire, Bren sold it and most of the contents and now lives in a camper van and travels around Australia, writing and teaching.

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