Review
Magical and hopeful, this is a story that will capture readers' imagination and hearts. ― The Scotsman
Wild and wonderful, gentle and beautiful, a really gorgeous read. ― Eloise Williams, author
The themes running through were so delicately and beautifully explored and the description of landscape and Hefring were totally magical. ― SCOTTISH BOOKTRUST
A beautifully and sensitively crafted tale, about caring, family bonds and healing, which I would highly recommend to classrooms and school libraries. ― Views from the Bookshelf Blog
Product Description
Ailsa's mum is ill, not the first time, so they spend the summer with her aunt and uncle. Aunt Bertha, Uncle Nod and their dog Moxie live on an island off the coast, by a beautiful fishing village surrounded by beaches and clifftops. Ailsa and Moxie spend their whole time there exploring these beaches and cliffs, until one day they find a hidden cave. Inside the cave, they find Hefring, a strange woman not keen on strangers.
Ailsa slowly gets to know who Hefring is. She is a selkie, a mermaid, a billow maiden from ancient myth. However, she is stuck on land and slowly dying. It is up to Ailsa and her new friend Camilla to save her, but there are plenty of obstacles in the way - not least Ailsa's own fears and her mum's illness.
The Billow Maiden is a beautifully told tale of friendship, family, healing and transformation from a stunning new writer for children.
Book Description
A beautiful story of healing and friendship for young readers about a young girl whose discovery of a billow maiden in a remote cave at her aunt and uncle's fishing village and the extraordinary repercussions on both the village and Ailsa's family.
About the Author
James Dixon is a London-born, Glasgow-based novelist, poet, and playwright. His debut novel, The Unrivalled Transcendence of Willem J. Gyle (Thistle, 2017) was shortlisted for the 2018 Somerset Maugham Award by the Society of Authors. His debut play, It's My Turn, was performed as part of the 2019 Edinburgh Science Festival, aimed at younger audiences. The Billow Maiden is his first novel aimed at younger readers.
Tamsin Rosewell is an illustrator, bookseller and broadcaster. Her great passion is for illustration, and she works mainly on children's books, history and all areas of non-fiction. She is a partner at Kenilworth Books, where she has worked for twelve years.She organises many events (adults and children's), regularly chairs festival and event panels, and leads their social media and online presence. She is also a broadcaster, moving from presenting the folk show for Radio Warwickshire to making documentaries for Arts Broadcaster Resonance FM, for which she wrote and presented 'The Poet and the Prophet', a three-part series about the work of William Blake. The Billow Maiden is her first commissioned children's book.
