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Nisha's War: A gorgeously evoked wartime ghost story, perfect for fans of Frances Hardinge and Emma Carroll

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The passage of time to the full moon- so significant for Nisha in the story- is marked by chapter headings and full page illustrations showing its changing face and emphasising the sense of urgency felt by Nisha as time passes. It talks about what it must have been like back then, when new refugees with mixed skin weren’t as accepted in society as they are now. I love reading children's books, talking to them about books, engaging them in reading for pleasure and recommending books to them.

Matthew Land Illustrates Historical Fiction for Chicken House

I enjoy the very middle of the process, when I've completed all of the sketches and rough drafts and I'm given the good-to-go from the design team and I'm allowed to spread out a big sheet of the thicker, smoother, more expensive paper and get working on the artwork.Nisha and her mother are so vulnerable that the reader is filled with compassion and the desire to know more about them. Some of the locals do nothing to hide their dislike and distrust of refugees, and Nisha’s grandmother does not hide her disapproval of Amma as a daughter-in-law, making it very clear that she would have preferred her son to marry a nice English girl. I do like watching people although I can't fully decide really where the ideas come from, I mostly work on a sketch until the character is all of a sudden there. The book itself is punctuated by illustrated title pages showing the changing phases of the moon, conveying an increasing sense of urgency as the full moon approaches and Nisha’s time to find the treasures runs out.

Nisha’s War by Dan Smith – Get Kids into Books Nisha’s War by Dan Smith – Get Kids into Books

Dan skilfully weaves together several storytelling strands to make Nisha’s War a complex and satisfying read. It has very interesting concepts and the mysterious fantasy part of the book is extremely intriguing and hooks you into the book, whilst adding lots of historical aspects that makes it feel as if you are really experiencing it. Whilst Nisha faces prejudice due to her Anglo-Indian heritage, she also forms some wonderful friendships, especially with a young boy, Jamie, who she meets whilst on a visit to the nearby village. When they arrive at the imposing Barrow House, they are made to feel less than welcome by Nisha’s grandmother, the formidable Mrs Barrow who informs them that there are a set of rules which she expects to be followed, rules which are shared with them by the kind-hearted housekeeper, Mrs Foster. Chicken House has an especially helpful and clear way of briefing a project so from the very beginning, I was given a great amount of guidance and support.I would like to read more stories like this about small pieces of history and stories forgotten about. A key figure in this story is Jamie, he is Nisha’s best friend and is seen to bring a comedic element in the midst of the trauma and PTSD Nisha faces especially towards the ocean and her fear of being taken by it like it had taken David Hill. This is a thrilling, engrossing wartime adventure: a story of family and friendship, of belonging and acceptance, and of loss and hope. We’d pack a small canoe with fishing gear, take a waterproof to sleep under, then paddle upriver to catch piranhas and catfish, and to see the river dolphins. I like people, which is also one of the main reasons I'm not the best a being a full-time illustrator, I'm not good at spending so much time in my own head!

Nisha’s War,’ by Dan Smith. – Library Girl and Blog tour: ‘Nisha’s War,’ by Dan Smith. – Library Girl and

Prepare to be chilled by the latest gorgeously evocative wartime ghost story by Dan Smith with stunning atmospheric cover illustration by Matthew Land. The atmospheric cover illustration by Matthew Land is sure to tempt readers in and the end papers continue the interest, showing a range of pictures, posters, notes and objects which offer tantalising clues about the story ahead.

year-old Nisha and her mother have escaped the horrors of the Japanese invasion of Malaya to live in her father’s ancestral home on Barrow Island on the North West coast of England.

Review: Nisha’s War – Book Craic

Blog tour: ‘You Can’t Let an Elephant Pull Santa’s Sleigh,’ by Patricia Cleveland-Peck, illustrated by DavidTazzyman. Dan Smith’s portrayal of how war affects the mental health of young people also provides another fresh angle on a wartime story.Local lad Jamie, Land Girl Joy, kindly cook and housekeeper Mrs Foster and her husband Mr Foster and, of course, the formidable Mrs Barrow. Encouraged to explore outdoors by Mrs F, Nisha discovers a beautiful, secluded walled garden, and catches a glimpse of a boy, but why has Mrs F told her there is no one else living on the island? She tells of her past and about how Nisha reminds her off her sadly passed daughter Elizabeth Barrow, Nisha’s auntie.

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