SILENCE IS GOLDFISH is a story that demands to be heard.

'I have a voice but it isn't mine. It used to say things so I'd fit in - to please my parents, to please my teachers. It used to tell the universe I was something I wasn't. It lied.'

Fifteen-year-old Tess doesn't mean to become mute. At first, she's just too shocked to speak. And who wouldn't be? Discovering your whole life has been a lie because your dad isn't your real father is a pretty big deal. Tess sets out to find the truth of her identity, and uncovers a secret that could ruin multiple lives. But can she ask for help when she's forgotten how to use her voice?

This is the third YA novel from the bestselling and prizewinning author of MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE and KETCHUP CLOUDS.

About the Author
Annabel graduated from Oxford University with a degree in English Literature and an ambition to be a children's author. She had a variety of jobs before deciding to travel the world and focus on writing. Annabel now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and two young sons. Her first book, MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE, won the Branford Boase and a Betty Trask Award in 2012 and KETCHUP CLOUDS won the 2014 Waterstones Children's Prize. Annabel's work has been shortlisted for numerous prestigious awards including the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Galaxy British Book Award and the Red House Children's Book Award and longlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and the 2012 CILIP Carnegie Medal. Visit Annabel's website at www.annabelpitcher.com and follow her on Twitter @APitcherAuthor.

Reviews
Exploring the importance of family, friends and being yourself, this is another standout book from an award-winning author. When Tess Turner accidentally looks at her dad's computer, she realises why she's never felt like she fits in. Her reaction is to stop speaking, except inside her own head, and what follows is a poignant and compelling story. * The Sun Online *
Pitcher writes clearly and elegantly and the novel is full of her trademark wit * DAILY TELEGRAPH ONLINE *
Pitcher excels at the emotional tangles of adolescence and never whitewashes Tess's own faults as she stumbles from one mistake to another ... Another winner from the author of the bestselling Ketchup Clouds * Daily Mail *
Strong in substance and originality, Pitcher continues to bring boldness and uniqueness to YA * WE LOVE THIS BOOK *
This novel is both heart-breaking and hilarious. Tess is a fabulous protagonist, a strong, outgoing girl who tries her hardest to please those around her, yet one who deals with daily bullying on account of her size and unconventional looks. Her journey of self-discovery is incredibly difficult and you cannot help but cheer her on every step of the way. It is exceptionally well written and an absolute joy to read. * BOOK TRUST *
Pitcher delivers a story of betrayal and miscues among family and friends with a realistic blend of humor and gravity as Tess slides toward mental instability. An unflinchingly honest portrayal of anguish. * Kirkus *
Witty, heart-warming ... a lovely story about overcoming convention and coming to accept yourself * DAILY TELEGRAPH *
Silence is Goldfish is a rare gem of a book: it features the kind of protagonist we need more of. Not the feisty, popular heroines we wish we could be, but the grounded, empowered heroines we are. * GUARDIAN CHILDREN'S BOOKS *
Pitcher brilliantly captures the elasticity of the teenage mind, its ability to apprehend reality in a multiplicity of angles, its tendency to see itself alternatively as a speck of dust in the universe or as an all-encompassing being. Picher's writing is intriguing, riveting, respectful, true and oh so funny. * Inis Reading Guide 2015-16 *
The book immediately feels like a Pitcher novel and her beautiful writing style is what really makes it enjoyable. * GUARDIAN CHILDREN'S BOOKS *
A beautiful, well-told tale * Telegraph & Argus *


Awards
Long-listed for Redbridge Teenage Book Award 2016 (UK).



Book Information
ISBN 9781780620022
Author Annabel Pitcher
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint Orion Children's Books
Publisher Hachette Children's Group
Weight(grams) 308g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 135mm * 25mm