Age 9-12 | Hardback | 40 pages | 200 x 150mm
Publication March 2017 | ISBN 9781910862506
Elias Martin lives a scowling, solitary life for a decade until a small, lost child wanders into his path.
One in a series of tales that explore the deeper, darker side of our connection with the natural world. Be ready to feel a little bit of magic, and perhaps a few shivers down the spine.
Books in the Shadows & Light series:
- The White Hare
- Mother Cary's Butter Knife
- The Selkie's Mate
- Elias Martin
- Bee Boy and the Moonflowers
- The Eel Question
Fran Shum was born in Weston-Super-Mare. She grew up with a bombardment of artistic influences, with both her parents being artists, and on a steady diet of graphic novels and Godzilla movies. She uses both traditional and digital mediums to communicate a variety of narratives and emotions within her work, specialising in artwork for bands and tattoo designs as a freelance illustrator.
Reviews:
'Elias Martin lives a lonely, isolated life in the middle of a snowy forest. Then one day he finds a strange young child sleeping in his wood store, and he soon takes the child under his wing. As with her whole Shadows and Light series, Davies is inspired by both nature and grim folklore in this tale. Shum's beautiful black-and-white illustrations perfectly complement Davies's writing, especially emphasising the starkness of the harsh landscape. A mysterious and highly engrossing read.' Inis Reading Guide 2017-18, Children's Books Ireland
'A well-written, thought-provoking tale for older and reluctant readers who enjoy a touch of the supernatural.' Marie Orlando, School Library Journal