Sky Dancer
Publisher: Oxford University Press
The moorland where Joe lives has been traditionally managed for generations as a grouse moor. It's Joe's whole world and he loves it. But a storm is brewing and Joe's stuck in the middle: his brother and tradition are on one side, while much of the local community, including his school friends, are on the other. The problem? The hen harrier – or 'Sky Dancer' – which is under threat from the way the moorland is managed.
Joe thought he knew which side he's on, but then Ella moves in next door. Ella questions everything around her, and gradually Joe starts to question things too. What if things could be different? he wonders.
Gill Lewis masterfully reels readers in to the hen harriers' plight in this story about challenging the status quo, figuring out what you believe in, and then having the bravery to stand up for those beliefs. Joe wants to preserve the things he knows, but wants to make things better too. Trust, friendship, social divisions and the environment are just a few of the threads woven through Sky Dancer, which is highly engaging and perfect reading for nature lovers.
