From the author of The Valley of Lost Secrets comes a thrilling adventure about the power of friendship, set in a Welsh valley in the 1970s, for readers of 9+. Jason lives with his big brother, Richie, trying their best to make ends meet so they can stay together. They've got supportive neighbours and some great friends, but there's always the threat that someone will think they can't manage on their own since their parents died. It's February 1974 and working-class families have been hit hard by the three-day week. The reduced power usage means less work, and less money to get by on. Richie is doing his best, but to make enough money, he's been doing favours for the wrong people. An urban legend about a beast in the valleys catches Jason's eye in the local paper. A wild cat is said to roam the forest, far up the river from their bridge. A reward is offered for proof of The Beast's existence. Jason's friends are desperate to help him, and they convince him that this is the answer to his and Richie's money problems. And so a quest begins. Four best friends soon find themselves on a journey that will change each of them ... forever. With echoes of Stand By Me, this thrilling middle-grade adventure is packed with irresistible characters and a page-turning plot with relatable themes, making this another timeless story from one of our finest writers of historical fiction for kids. 'What a story. What a writer. Simply stunning' - Emma Carroll Selected as The Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week 12 March 2023

From the author of The Valley of Lost Secrets comes a thrilling adventure about the power of friendship, set in a Welsh valley in the 1970s, for readers of 9+.

About the Author
Lesley Parr is the author of three novels for children. Her debut, The Valley of Lost Secrets, was published in 2021 and was both a Waterstones Book of the Month and longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal. It won the Tir na n-Og Award, the King's School Chester Book Award and the North Somerset Teachers' Book Award, as well as being shortlisted for many others. Lesley grew up in South Wales and now lives in England with her husband. She shares her time between writing stories, teaching at a primary school and tutoring adults. Apart from books, rugby union is her favourite thing in the world, especially if Wales is winning. @WelshDragonParr www.lesleyparr.com

Reviews
What a story. What a writer. Simply stunning * Emma Carroll *
A luminous love letter to brotherhood & friendship. It sits effortlessly alongside Stand By Me & Ostrich Boys. And like everything Lesley writes, it radiates a big, beautiful heart * Phil Earle *
A poignant, funny adventure for 9+, rich in bittersweet, evocative detail. -- Imogen Russell Williams * Guardian *
With echoes of Stand By Me, this thrilling middle-grade adventure gives us the most exquisite characterisation and a page-turning plot with relatable themes, making this utterly timeless and one of the finest historical fiction stories in the market today * The Bookseller *
Entrancing -- James Lovegrove * Financial Times *
Beautifully told. This appealing book is about losses healed, lies uncovered, cruelty defeated and goodness rewarded * Sunday Times on THE VALLEY OF LOST SECRETS *
An assured, thoughtful historical novel with a richly evoked post-war Welsh setting * Guardian on WHEN THE WAR CAME HOME *



Book Information
ISBN 9781526647771
Author Lesley Parr
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint Bloomsbury Childrens Books
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC