The Notted Island - by Katherine Child (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

For a very long time, the world was black and white...

Last Island is struggling. Colour has not reached them, their Notte is making mistake after mistake and now an Automated Night Sky salesman has come to town.

It's time for Umbertiska Lupp, a young islander with pockets full of cake, to take matters into her own hands and embark on an adventure to bring unity and colour to Last Island.

Review Quotes

"A spunky girl saves her town's night sky in Katherine Child's wonder-filled fantasy novel The Notted Island. [...] Tisky exudes curiosity and passion. She navigates the bumps of childhood with earnestness. From pretending to be an owl to absconding with the salesman's paperwork, she is a constant source of amusement. Her deep love for her island and sky propels the story toward success."
-- Foreword STARRED Review

"The Notted Island reads like a true labour of love. Each character, creature and place is densely described in word and image. The illustrations compliment the text, they build in ambition and complexity as the story goes on, the makers hand evident in every delicate mark. The two work together to form a complete whole, woven as the night sky in the story, with artful and joyous craft. It is a wonderful celebration of the hand-made and the process of creation."
-- Alexis Deacon, Children's Author + Illustrator

"Child's story is enthralling, exciting, intriguing and slightly sideways from anything you'd expect. It trusts the reader to not question the mysteries it offers up, believing in the world as it unfolds. It feels a small myth, an epic miniature, a glorious pocket-sized gem of a whole new world. I urge everyone to join Tisky on the adventure she doesn't know she's making - help her save her island and bring a little night and colour into her fellow islander's lives."
-- A.F. Harrold, Children's Author

"In this U.K. import, a girl must band together with river sprites, a time-telling shadow, and a dog to save her island's night sky. [...] With fun wordplay and the personification of natural phenomena as beings and tasks, this parable strikes an endearingly quirky, goodhearted tone as it underscores the importance of downtime and magical thinking in the face of ever-increasing demands for efficiency. Child's frequent, detailed illustrations enhance the story with their depictions of Tisky's unique world and compatriots. [...] A fun treatise on the necessity of whimsy."
-- Kirkus Review

"A deeply original debut"
-- The Bookseller

About the Author

From 2010 to 2021 Katherine worked at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, photographing a wide variety of insects for multifarious reasons. Her photographs appeared on screen with Sir David Attenborough, in newspapers and books.

She now works as an author and illustrator, represented by Spring Literary.