book cover

The Tail of Emily Windsnap

by Liz Kessler, illustrated by Sarah Gibb

Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 9+

Published by Hachette, 2015

  • Coming-of-age
  • Fantasy

About this book

Emily Windsnap has lived on a boat her whole life but her mother has seemed strangely anxious to keep her away from the water itself.

All is explained when Emily is finally allowed to have swimming lessons and she makes a startling discovery. As she learns more about herself, and her mermaid origins, Emily explores the glorious world under the sea, where Neptune rules and mermaids go to school.

And she finds out the truth about the father she has never met. This is a magical story, with vivid scenes of an undersea world and a delightful heroine. The story deals with many issues, including families, friendship, love and justice and all are handled with a lightness of touch that makes for a truly warm-centred novel.

About the author

Liz Kessler is the author of two popular children’s series: Emily Windsnap and Philippa Fisher. A Year Without Autumn was her first standalone title and was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Awards 2012. Born in 1966, Liz grew up in the seaside town of Southport in the north west of England. She studied English at Loughborough University, after which she gained a teaching qualification at Keele University. More recently, she gained a distinction in a Masters degree in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Before becoming an author, Liz taught English and Media Studies and ran Creative Writing courses. She also worked as a journalist at a few local and regional newspapers in Manchester and York. After school and university, Liz lived on a narrowboat on the canal for about ten years, after which she settled briefly in Manchester before travelling round Europe in a campervan for a year. She now lives in St Ives, Cornwall.

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