The Great Unexpected
by Sharon Creech
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 10+
Published by Andersen Press, 2012
About this book
In the little town of Blackbird Tree, friends and fellow orphans Naomi and Lizzie are startled when a strange boy, Finn, falls out of a tree. Meanwhile, far across the ocean in Ireland, an elderly lady plots her final revenge on the man who broke her heart. Key to both these stories are three locked trunks, a pair of rooks, a crooked bridge and a fairy ring. As a series of curious events unfold, two very different worlds are drawn closer and closer together, until the story reaches its surprising conclusion.
This unusual and enchanting novel is beautifully-written and full of atmosphere. Dealing with some challenging issues such as pain and loss, it also evokes compassion, love and hope. Creech’s characters are drawn with enormous sensitivity: the contrast between the clear-eyed narrator, Naomi and her more fanciful friend Lizzie, is brilliantly evoked. This is a challenging but highly rewarding novel, which will intrigue young readers and will stay with them long after they have finished reading.
About the author
More books like this
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Chasing Redbird
by Sharon Creech
9 to 14 years
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One Time
by Sharon Creech, illustrated by Sarah Horne
9 to 14 years
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Heartbeat
by Sharon Creech
5 to 14 years
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The House with Chicken Legs Runs Away
by Sophie Anderson
9 to 14 years
Lists of recommended reads
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St Patrick’s Day books for older children (9+)
Why not ring in St Patrick's Day this year by adding these books to your reading list? Our St Patrick's Day booklist featuring titles about or set in the Emerald Isle features a range of books - from tales of time travel, magic, witches, natural disasters and mythical worlds to both funny and hard-hitting books about contemporary Ireland and short stories too. We've picked out these titles for slightly older readers which could make you see Ireland in a whole new light... so which one will you be sampling first on 17 March?