The Sleeping Stones

Gruff lives on a sheep farm on a tiny Welsh island with his dad and grandmother, Nain. Every islander knows the tales passed down the generations warning about the Sleepers, the six large stones that lead out into the sea: do not step on them because they’ll trick you into falling into the sea. Yet the day that Mat moves to the island with her mum and step-dad, Gruff sees not six, but seven stones, and a shadowy figure on top of the last one. As Mat and Gruff become friends, they are both irresistibly drawn to the stones and Mat, who can’t swim, is particularly pulled towards the sea. But why?

The Sleepers have awoken and there is a great storm coming. An ancient wrong must be righted. Only Gruff and Mat can save the island from the dangerous anger of ancient magic.

This is a gripping story exploring bravery, old legends and ancient magic. The setting is brilliantly evoked, as is the tightly-knit island community, and the danger and power of the sea is always present. There’s a moving underlying theme of home being where your family is, too. This is one for readers who love being transported to a specific place, with added time-slip magic.