Description

By (author) Balen, Katya; Illustrated by Dean, Rachael

Short /annotation:
With the help from their friends in the Undercity, the gang must set sail on the seven seas, solve riddles and save the day!

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When the mudlarking gang find a mysterious cutlass on the banks of the Thames, they immediately know that something fishy is afoot. When the cutlass vanishes, and Mrs Drummonds disappears too, it’s down to Clem and the gang to find them. The mystery leads them to a band of ghost pirates, who will stop at nothing to find their long-lost treasure. With the help from their friends in the Undercity, the gang must set sail on the seven seas, solve riddles and save the day!

This is the third instalment in the critically acclaimed series from award-winning author Katya Balen.

Review quote:
Bursting with quirky characters and imaginative world-building elements

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Lively detail in both text and illustrations

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A brilliantly briny adventure story

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Balen doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects and her books all embrace weighty themes within gently suspenseful plots

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Balen’s writing contains a simple poeticism

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A wildly imaginative romp

Biographical note:

Katya Balen is an award-winning author of books for children. Her debut novel, The Space We’re In, was highly commended for the Branford Boase Award, October, October won the Yoto Carnegie Medal and the UKLA Book Award, and The Light in Everything was shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal. When she’s not writing books, Katya likes to scroll through dog-rescue websites, bake and attempt to keep her house plants alive. She lives in London with her partner and their dog.

Rachael Dean is a UK-based children’s book illustrator, who lives on the coast near Liverpool. She has created illustrations for middle-grade fiction as well as picture books, and was recently selected to illustrate Dame Jacqueline Wilson’s new titles. Rachael works traditionally and digitally, painting images that are vividly rich and bold, and she enjoys gathering inspiration from beautiful scenes of nature. In her spare time, she loves to play the piano, cook, and spend time at her local National Trust.

Promotional headline:
The third instalment in the fabulously funny, fast-paced and critically acclaimed series from award-winning author Katya Balen. Perfect for fans of Pamela Butchart”s Baby Aliens series and the Secret Seven

Feature:
With underlying themes of community spirit and uniting people from different backgrounds in a shared interest, this is young fiction that portrays a real cross-section of society

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Katya Balen is an extraordinary writing talent: a winner of the Carnegie Medal, the Shadowers” Choice Award voted for by children, and the UKLA Book Award, as well as Highly Commended for the Branford Boase award and the inaugural Children”s Book Award at the Wainwright Prize

Feature:
The third book in Katya Balen”s funny young fiction series, featuring a group of young wannabe archaeologists who get more than they bargained for when searching the banks of the Thames

Feature:
The book will continue the exciting and dynamic author-illustrator partnership, with a cover and 25 black and white interior illustrations by Rachael Dean, whose work is widely recognised from the new Jacqueline Wilson covers