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The Ghost's Child

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The Ghost's Child

By: Sonya Hartnett
Narrated by: Caroline Lee
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About this listen

Maddy yearns for her life to be mystifying, to be as magical as a fairy story. And then one day, on the beach, she meets the strangest young man she has ever seen.

The Ghost's Child is an enchanting fable about the worth of life, and the power of love.

2010, Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA) Book of the Year for Older Children, Short-listed

2008, Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Older Readers, Winner

2008, The Commonwealth Writer's Prize Best Book (South East Asia and South Pacific Region), Short-listed

2010, APA Book Design Awards, Short-listed

2009, International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), Short-listed

©2007 Sonya Hartnett. By arrangement with Penguin Group (Australia) (P)2007 Bolinda Publishing Fantasy Fiction Magic Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy

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Editor reviews

The aging Matilda recalls her life story to a young boy who shows up at her house one day. What unfolds is a rich blend of fantasy, romance, and coming-of-age realism. As a young girl, Maddy goes on a personal odyssey with her father in a search for beauty. She finds love in an unlikely man; a free spirit who cannot be caged. Drawing upon poetic metaphor and elements of fairy tales Sonya Hartnett explore the themes of self-discovery and growth. Caroline Lee's performance of the audiobook shits between the air of the "once-upon-a-time" worlds that Hartnett references, the grace of an old lady looking back at her life, and the innocence of youth.

Critic reviews

"What an original and intriguing writer Sonya Hartnett is." (The Guardian)
"Caroline Lee delivers Hartnett's lyrical rhythms and dreamy imagery as she tells the story of 75-year-old Maddy, who returns home one day to find a young boy waiting for her. A boy who hungers for story, he aids her in remembering her past, which is misted with time but still clear in emotional power. Lee's solid, steady reading gives reality to Maddy's gossamer fable. Maddy tells of growing up – of her imaginary best friend and of being taken on a cruise with her father. During that experience she discovers the most beautiful thing in the world – being loved by a feral man of the sea who is more spirit than human." (AudioFile Magazine)
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