The Girl Who Speaks Bear

Yanka has always felt like an outsider – found in a bear cave when she was a baby and raised by her foster mother Mamochka, she's always wondered where she came from.

But when something very unusual begins to happen to her, it's the push she needs to leave her village on a quest to discover her family, her origins and who she really is.

Sophie Anderson's follow-up to The House with Chicken Legs is another wonderful adventure, drawing heavily on Russian folk tales to bring us a gripping tale of dragons, bears and magic.

As Yanka's quest unfolds, young readers will not only be captivated by the peril and dangers she faces, but also by the underlying themes of friendship, identity and family.

And it's impossible not to root for Yanka, who is growing and learning as she goes, making some valuable discoveries along the way.

Marvellously-drawn characters and a timeless style of prose – along with the inclusion of traditional folk tales, all related to Yanka's story – come together to make The Girl Who Speaks Bear almost impossible to put down.

A real treat of a book.