A stunning new look for Jenny Valentine's debut novel, winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize

The mini cab office was up a cobbled mews with little flat houses either side. That's where I first met Violet Park, what was left of her. There was a healing centre next door, a pretty Sixteen-year-old Lucas Swain becomes intrigued by the urn of ashes left in a cab office. Convinced that its occupant - Violet Park - is communicating with him, he contrives to gain possession of the urn, little realising that his quest will take him on a voyage of self-discovery and identity, forcing him to finally confront what happened to his absent (and possibly dead) father...

About the Author

Jenny Valentine is an award-winning writer for Young Adults. Her first novel Finding Violet Park won the Guardian prize in 2007 and since then she has written six more, including Broken Soup and Fire Colour One, as well as Iggy and Me, a series for younger children. Her work has been published in 19 countries and Hello Now, her latest YA novel, was published in the UK and US in April 2020. In 2017 she was the Hay Festival International Fellow, spending the year meeting and learning from teenagers all over the world. She works to empower and give a voice to young people. She lives all over the place and has two daughters.

Reviews

Praise for Jenny Valentine:

'Valentine has the essential storyteller's gift of making you want to read on - and to know more even after the book is finished.' Guardian

'The award-winning Valentine has a keen eye for the idiosyncrasies of young children, and the rhythms of family life.' The Bookseller

'[Valentine] has a wonderful ability to take readers right into the hearts and souls of her central characters, and reading her is always a truly vicarious experience.' The Bookbag

Praise for Finding Violet Park:

"Finding Violet Park is a wonderful debut." Guardian

"Ultra-original and brilliantly written, this will have you laughing and crying, too." Mizz

"Clever and totally assured, it is hard to believe that this is a first novel from a new author... [an] ingenious novel from a writer who already has much to offer. *****" Nicholas Tucker, Books for Keeps

"Memorable and well-paced, this is a book to help young people grow in spite of adversity." Carousel

"This is terrific stuff and quite unlike anything else I've come across.... a powerful and compelling story." Inis

"First-time author Jenny Valentine has an original and exciting voice." Writing Magazine

Book Information
ISBN 9780007291243
Author Jenny Valentine
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Harper Fire
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 200g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 15mm