The Starlight Rebel

About this book

Welcome to the year 3897 - a noisy, artificial, neon-lit future where nature has been forgotten, success is prized, and difference is rejected. 

For 11-year-old Astrifer, a mysterious constellation of freckles across her face and a uniquely wired brain definitely make her feel different. Her twin brother Blaze, on the other hand, is a star athlete, and ex–best friend Rainbow basks in the spotlight as the president’s daughter. Thank goodness Astrifer has her eccentric uncle and the peaceful green sanctuary of the neglected Tree Museum. 

When the all-important Work Path Allocation Ceremony humiliatingly assigns her to a career in a sock factory, Astrifer is welcomed into a ‘different’ community of kind, brave and accepting friends – and soon realises there’s nowhere else she’d rather be. 

Now there’s just the small matter of an extra-terrestrial being, who is convinced that Astrifer is an interstellar hero destined to stop Earth from plundering the galaxy’s precious resources... 

This is an enthralling read with a delightful cast of disabled and neurodivergent characters and powerful themes including social injustice, the environment and the power of creativity. The reader watches Astrifer not only find her tribe, but also find the collective strength to challenge systemic discrimination and stand up for what is right.  

A unique and truly memorable sci-fi adventure.