The Secret of Haven Point

Product Information

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and enjoyed the narrator, Cassandra Campbell, and her delivery of the story.

Maren, as an outsider, takes years to feel like she belongs, but as the years go by she realizes she underestimated the people in Haven Point. When a tragedy occurs that involves her children, Maren’s daughter Annie vows to leave and never return to Haven Point. This story is told in many different time settings. It begins during WWII in a hospital in Washington DC where a doctor and cadet nurse meet while treating the wounded soldiers. This starts Maren and Oliver's story. They soon wed and Oliver takes Maren to his family home in Haven Point, Maine where they vacation every summer. The community is a bit snooty and gossipy but Maren soon finds some true friends there. The story continues into Maren and Oliver's marriage and subsequent birth of their three children. This is a 17-session Literary Leaf for The Secret of Haven Point by Lisette Auton which covers all aspect of the Upper Key Stage 2 content domain. Throughout the series of lessons, children will engage in plenty of discussion around points arising in the text and use their conversations to gather evidence before recording their personal responses in Reading Response books. Children will analyse the behaviours and motivations of the main characters, as well as how they change as the story develops. They will also analyse the author's vocabulary choices, in particular relating to personification and their use of devices to create tension. The Leaf will finish with children discussing the themes the story covers and the lessons they have learnt through reading this gripping story. Synopsis of Text: This book delves into friendship, belonging, trust and inclusion. A must-have story for all bookshelves. A book for children to see themselves represented, find solace and understanding. For others, it will help build empathy and acceptance in a world that is full of magic, confusion and twists.For me, this family saga had it all -- wonderfully written characters, the timelines that told the family stories and the beautiful scenery in Maine. This is a debut novel for the author and I look forward to her future novels.

The winners of the Diverse Book Awards 2023 have been announced, with one winner from each of the four categories announced: Picture book, Children... I loved how Ephyra and the other mermaids were described - they were fierce and everything you'd want a female clan to be! I loved Cap'n and the quirkyness of having a kitten in his beard. I loved the growth of Alpha throughout the book, both as a person and as a friend. I did second-guess the traitor in the midst but only by a chapter or so, and it did not take away from the twists and turns that continued! This was such a great book. I loved the storyline, full of emotion, twists and unexpected happenings. LA: I did feel scared, the weight was a lot. Emma and I realised that the note on language would serve two purposes – help me to feel okay (access needs being met!) and set out my activism stall right at the beginning, a call to action, if you find yourself missing from book shelves, write the stories you need to read. And if you like this book, ask for more! In all the writing palaver, I know this sounds silly, but I hadn’t realised it would be read . My incredible copy editor, Wendy, told me what it meant to her to find herself reflected in a character, and since it has gone out into the world there has been so much more of this from children and parents. That makes me proud, that disabled children are seeing themselves on an adventure, in a gang of friends, not wanting or needing to be magically fixed, but celebrated exactly the way they are. It will make me even more proud when those children write their heart song books and they appear on shelves. LF:The Secret of Haven Point is set on the North East coast, and your Writing the Missing films are also set in rivers and the sea. What draws you to water as a writer?I’ve never been to the coast of Maine and this new novel by Virginia Hume has definitely inspired me to add it to my list of places to visit. The audio, narrated by Cassandra Campbell, was a pleasurable listen. This is a debut novel about a family saga and a buried secret. While I mostly enjoyed this story I did find it fell flat a little in certain areas. The writing is good and I think the author shows promise. This book did not need this over the top climax with gun violence. I also didn't find Haven Point this idyllic place it was made out to be - the kids feel neglected. They get their basic need for food and shelter met but they don't have a close relationship with any one parent (Alpha does with the mermaid, but none of the others do) and their education is a mess.

Auton is a disabled activist, speaker, performer and creative practitioner. In her writing, shedraws on her own experiences to create an authentic depiction of disability, through hercast of characters and landscapes, says the publisher. LF: At the start of the book there is note on language in which you write about the responsibility you feel writing about disabled characters, to get everything ‘right’, because there are so few children’s books centring disabled characters and written by disabled people. What does it mean to be creating the kind of book you wish there were more of in the world? I hope as well as the feeling of responsibility you mention in the introduction, it also makes you feel very proud. the characters were very diverse, most of them having some kind of disability. however, in Haven Point, they are never looked down upon. Everyone has something they can do, and everything is adapted to allow everyone to take part in as much as possible.This well-written book was quite an emotional story. There is strong sense of place and well-developed characters especially Maren, Annie and Skye who each felt like outsiders in Haven Point. Some sections felt a little long but overall this was a satisfying read as each woman tried to find their place in a community that was not accepting of people unlike themselves. Coffee house Caffè Nero has announced the 16-strong shortlist for the inaugural Nero Book Awards, recognising the outstanding books of the past 12... Bestselling author Alexandra Christo, author of TikTok sensation To Kill a Kingdom, introduces her new book, The Night Hunt (Hot Key Books), a dark... I won’t go on and on about all that I loved about this book, but I will say the writing is lovely, the descriptions are beautiful, the storyline is flawless and the characters are perfect. I felt as if I was a vacationer for three months out of the year going to Haven Point with the Demarest family, sitting alongside them in the weekly sing along. Maren was my favorite and a close second was Pauline, I was so belly laughing when Georgie and Maren had her in the wheel barrel and there was once I had tears running down my face. I cannot explain how this author pulled out so many emotions.

Laura Fraine: You’re a poet, novelist, spoken-word artist, actor, film and theatre-maker, and now a children’s author – tell us a bit about your writing journey and wearing all these different creative hats. Is there one area of writing that feels most like ‘home’ to you? When did you realise you wanted to write for children and how has this varied from your other work?

The Secret of Haven Point is a spellbinding Children's adventure book based around a remote lighthouse and an abandoned young baby. The Secret of Haven Point is the perfect addition to the well-being section of any bookshelf. I could not put it down. Unveiling disability; putting it in the spotlight, where it belongs, out in the open for all to admire its hidden beauty. It reminds me of Wonder and a quote springs to mind: 'Why blend in when you were born to stand out?' A stunning literary adventure from an incredible debut talent, perfect for fans of Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Cerrie Burnell and Katherine Rundell. The Secret of Haven Point is a classic children’s book in the making, and I am reasonably sure that children will love it from the beginning to the end. The main character Alpha Lux (named after the Lux Flakes box she was found in), is feisty, curious and brave, but bites off more than she can chew. Her desire to remember her mother’s face drives Alpha headfirst into a plan she never knew existed, thrusting all she knows and loves into danger.