1895 – Carregton Crow. Morwenna is the undertaker’s child in a tiny community. She’s used to rowing dead bodies out to the island cemetery, listening to local gossip and to the tales of the tide singers who supposedly create storms in order to drown people. Morwenna doesn’t believe every tale but she knows she’s heard singing out at sea. That is why she isn’t surprised when a storm washes ashore a young tide singer girl. Morwenna wants to return the tide singer safely to the sea, but she is up against the locals bent on revenge for all the lives that have been lost at sea.
A gothic tale of revenge, intolerance and legendary creatures whose songs command the tides.
This is a beautiful story that manages to balance ghosts, dead folk and the threat of drowning with a gentle security that makes it appropriate for a younger age-group. Morwenna’s Dad is an undertaker, but there are no dead bodies in at the time of the story. The tide singer who is swept up saves Morwenna’s father from the storms early on in the story which demonstrates her kind nature and makes us question whether the stories of fierce beings who drown humans are true from the start. All of these ideas have been carefully woven in and this allows children who want to get in on the current trend for all things spooky to have a taste with the security and reassurance that nightmares aren’t necessary.
The theme of intolerance is pertinent to our times and this book shows young readers that whispers have power to turn the heads of a community. Equally, it shows that voices standing united in peace have the power to change minds again – this fits beautifully with image of stormy seas calming as the tides turn that recurs throughout the story.
August Ro’s illustrations are exceptionally beautiful. They make great use of waving tree branches and charging foamy waves to add to the gothic tone of the story and they also create a sense of time and place. These illustrations are so memorable that they make me wish more middle grade stories used illustrations – I adored the tale but it was told through the pictures as well as the words and the two together created something magical.
As with all of Barrington Stoke’s books the book is created in a dyslexia-friendly format. It also has a reading age that is lower than the top end of its suggested interest age. Barrington Stoke allow children with lower reading ages to read books that their peers can also enjoy and I love Barrington Stoke for working with young people to create books that they truly want to read. These are also great for anyone who feels pressed for time to read to a young person or a group of young people. If you’ve ever said ‘I’ll never finish a novel with the time available’ a shorter text might allow you to share a story together that is age appropriate without the fear of never finishing.
A memorable and haunting tale that sticks with the reader.
- The Tide Singer by Eloise Williams is available now from Barrington Stoke. RRP £6.99 (Provided for review)
