By Michael Mann (author)
"A fast-paced, high-flying adventure in a smoggy ‘other’ London"
Paperback In Stock £8.99 £8.09
Hardback In Stock £12.99 £11.69
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June 2022 Debut of the Month
Luke, the hero of this action-packed, atmospheric fantasy, is one of hundreds of children forced to work shovelling coal in a bombed-out Battersea Power Station, only the hope of winning an Amber Ticket to freedom keeping him going. Then he meets a ghost, Alma, trapped in one of the power station’s pipes who reveals that Luke himself is actually half-ghost, with some very special powers.
As he learns more about himself, Luke discovers too what Tabatha Margate, the evil owner of the power station, has planned for her young workers, and why. He’s got to stop her, and fortunately he has new friends to help. Luke is bold and determined and young readers will relish following him on his adventure.
The world Michael Mann creates is vivid, genuinely scary at times, though the shocks are balanced by humour and the strength of the friendships Luke develops as the story unfolds. A satisfying, inventive and original story.
Catch the wind. Find your freedom.
A riveting, magical adventure set deep underneath a richly reimagined London for 9+ readers.
Kidnapped and forced to shovel coal underneath a half-bombed, blackened power station, 12-year-old Luke's life is miserable. Then, he discovers he can see things others can't. Ghostly things. Specifically, a ghost-girl named Alma. Alma, who can ride clouds through the night sky and bend their shape to her will, befriends Luke.
And with Alma's help, Luke discovers he is in fact a rare being - half-human and half-something else ... Then Luke learns the terrible truth of why children are being kidnapped and forced to work in the power station, and he becomes even more desperate to escape. Can Luke find out who he really is ... and find his freedom?
A riveting, magical adventure set deep underneath a richly reimagined London by exciting debut author Michael Mann.
'A superbly inventive and magical debut' Piers Torday
'Beautifully written and filled with unforgettable characters ... a diamond of a book' Ross McKenzie
'Utterly original, thrilling, strange and cracking good fun ... every chapter is packed full of wild imagination' Liz Hyder
Michael Mann is a primary school teacher by day, and mostly writes when he should be sleeping at night. He was a winner of SCBWI's Undiscovered Voices 2020, and the 2019 London Writer's Award (Spread the Word). He is passionate about diversity in children's literature as a person of British and Indian heritage.
Michael was born in London but moved to North Yorkshire when he was ten. He now lives with his partner and daughter in London. He's a fan of board games, reading, cloud spotting and outdoor swimming. He swam from England to France across the English Channel as part of a team of six. He won his first writing competition at school aged 10, for a poem about potatoes. He had to shake hands with a giant potato in front of the whole school and still has the photo to prove it.
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This is a gripping, thrilling and highly imaginative story.
This is a gripping, thrilling and highly imaginative story with the main protagonist Luke doing some old fashioned sleuthing to free himself and his friends from the clutches of the wicked and evil engineer Tabatha Margate. I could not put it down.... Read Full Review
Fantastic read. My little one loved it. Hoping for more from this author!
Always happy to explore a new world that straddles the familiar and the strange. A refreshing plot that follows a new kind of hero through thrilling twists and turns.... Read Full Review
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Ghostcloud and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Ghostcloud features in the following genres: Adventure Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Fantasy / Magical, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Horror & Ghost Stories, Featured Books for 9+ readers
Paperback, Hardback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
Ghostcloud was written by Michael Mann and published by Hodder Children's Books an imprint of Hachette Children's Group
Ghostcloud has 333 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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