book cover

Hom

by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Paddy Donnelly

Interest age: 4 to 6
Reading age: 7+

Published by Andersen Press, 2022

  • Adventure
  • Fantasy
  • Picture books

About this book

When a boy is shipwrecked far out at sea, he is stranded on a deserted island – almost deserted that is. He finds himself in the company of a mysterious, unusual person named Hom. Hom is not like anyone else. He is wild, strange and free. His ancestors fought dinosaurs and woolly mammoths and he is the last of his kind remaining. The boy comes to realise that he and Hom are more similar than they are different. They play together in the natural wonder of the island and grow to be the best of friends.

In a twist, the boy decides to hide from the search party who come to bring him home. He stays with Hom on their island, protecting him and keeping his existence hidden. The reader is tantalisingly invited into this secret - on the strict condition that Hom’s island existence remains completely private!

Reminiscent of Kensuke’s Kingdom, this tale of friendship and individuality takes its reader on an exciting adventure through the expertly illustrated natural landscape of the island. The relationship between the characters brings up themes of difference, empathy and belonging; its unusual structure and ending will be sure to spark lively discussion with readers.

About the author

Jeanne wrote her first book when she was five years old and hasn't stopped writing since. She now has over eighty titles to her name, including picture books, novels and television scripts. She has also won numerous awards, including the Children's Book Award, the Sheffield Children's Book Award and the Silver Smarties Prize. Her teen novel, Naked Without a Hat (Faber) was shortlisted for the Whitbread Award in 2004. She often takes inspiration from dreams and interesting conversations with strangers.

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