The Switching Hour
Publisher: Scholastic Children’s Books
Since the death of their mother, Amaya and her little brother Kaleb live with Granny Uma in a cottage on the outskirts of the forest. Times are hard as the land is parched by a seemingly never-ending drought. Food and water are scarce, crops are failing and even the lake is drying up. Worse still, the drought has awoken Badeko, a sinister beast who emerges during the Switching Hour, when day turns to night, and steals children to feed on their dreams.
When Granny Uma is called away one night to deliver a baby, Amaya promises she will secure the cottage before the Switching Hour descends. However, after an exhausting day chasing after the lively toddler, she forgets to bolt the door and Badeko sneaks in and snatches Kaleb away. Amaya is devasted and immediately sets off to rescue her brother. However, she only has three days before Badeko’s magic erases all trace of Kaleb from her memory and the journey to his nest in the heart of the forest is fraught with danger.
Courage, determination and friendship abound in this spine-tingling fantasy adventure. A gripping read, which will prompt readers to securely lock their doors and windows at night.
