By Katya Balen (author) , Sydney Smith (illustrator)
"A glowing story about learning to find room in your heart for new life and new love"
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April 2022 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month April 2022 | Shortlisted for the Week Junior Book Awards 2023 | Winner of the UKLA Book Award 2023 ages 7-10
No two children could be more different than Zofia and Tom. Noisy Zofia lives happily with her dad as her Mum died when she was born. She buzzes with a wild energy that makes her irresistible but also something of a handful. Quiet, anxious Tom lives with his mum. He is full of fears largely caused by his scarily violent father who is now in prison. He longs to be more outgoing but doesn’t know how to manage it.
They are about to start living together and also to become half siblings to a new baby in a blended family that neither of them wants to be part of. Each tells their story in a series of contrasting short episodes that brilliantly capture their contrasting characters and their journey towards this enormous change in their lives.
Kayta Balen has a rare gift for understanding what it feels like to be a child and creating characters that reflect that that vividly.
From the author of October, October, winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal 2022, comes a life-affirming story about blended families and learning to find room in your heart for new life and new love.
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Tom is still quiet and timid, even though his dad has been gone for nearly two years now. Zofia has a raging storm that makes her want to fight the whole world until she gets what she wants. And what she wants is for scaredy-cat Tom to get out of her life.
Tom hates loud, unpredictable Zofia just as much, but he's moving into Zofia's house.
Because his mum and Zofia's dad are in love ... and they're having a baby.
Tom and Zofia both wish the stupid baby had never happened. But then Tom's mum gets ill, and it begins to look horribly like their wish might come true ... A story of learning to trust, trying to let go and diving into the unknown with hope in your heart, with a stunning cover illustrated by CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal winner Sydney Smith.
‘This is Balen's best book yet: ambitious, funny, spirited, moving, heartfelt and bold all at once. She's a force to be reckoned with.’ Ross Montgomery
‘I loved this book!’ Hilary McKay
‘A bold, bright story of blended families, and how two remarkable children cope when their lives change dramatically. Katya Balen’s writing fizzes with her trademark originality and voice. This is another stunningly good read from one of my favourite authors.’ Emma Carroll
‘I absolutely LOVE all Katya's writing and I adored reading this book. It's such a beautiful, subtle story which just transported me into the worlds of Zofia and Tom and like all the very finest stories it has left a little shard of those lives within it lodged deep in my heart.’ Sophie Kirtley
'This story literally took me by storm. A brave heart-dive into the deep emotions of Tom and Zofia, it’s beautifully told with care and tenderness.’ Jasbinder Bilan
‘Katya Balen is rapidly becoming one of my favourite writers. This is a beautiful book that will capture you from the first page. An incredible book by an incredible writer. I loved it.’ Lisa Thompson
‘I loved this book. The deftness with which Katya creates such passionate, funny, broken, brave characters. What an achievement. Katya Balen can break your heart and make you snort with laughter in the same sentence.’ Natasha Farrant
‘A sensitive story about stitching a new family together from frayed pieces. So vividly-imagined you can taste the salt in the air.’ Aisha Bushby
‘Once again Balen shows how brilliant she is at taking unlikable characters and, by perfectly delineating with utmost clarity every mood, feeling, thought, emotion and event they go through, leading the reader to a place of love and understanding and acceptance. The Light in Everything is a moving, truthful, unflinching close up of a story, that proves how difficult it can be being a human among other humans, but how rewarding too when you allow yourself the space to breathe. Leonard Cohen was right, of course, there is a crack in everything.’ AF Harrold
‘Heart-breaking and heart-warming in equal measure – warm, compassionate, insightful, lyrical, beautiful and uplifting.’ Catherine Bruton
Praise for October, October ;
Katya Balen's October, October is a very special new addition to the shelf and deserves classic status - Times Children's Book of the Week
Quite simply one of the most beautiful books I've ever read - Kiran Millwood Hargrave
October, October is fierce with a wild love. It draws you in to its heart, shakes you with a fury, wraps you in a spell of storytelling. In lyrical prose, Katya Balen gives us a modern day heroine filled with courage. I loved every page. - Jackie Morris
Wise and bright - I loved it. - Hilary McKay
It's EXQUISITE. Read it. Wild yourself. Open your heart to it. Written with the pen of a poet and the soul of Mother Earth. Glorious. It's like nothing else I've ever read. - Liz Hyder
The most wonderful, original treasure of a story - Emma Carroll
I've also just been introduced to the first two stunning children's books by Katya Balen, both published by Bloomsbury: T he Space We're In and October, October. If you have a middle-grader, or know one, or are one ... treat yourself -- Daniel Hahn - Books of the Year, The Spectator
One of the most beautiful children's books I've ever read - Natasha Farrant
A tear-jerker about family that shows us things that are important and true, and promotes compassion -- Nicolette Jones - The Sunday Times, Children's Book of the Week
Praise for The Space We're In;
This sensitive, heartbreaking story boasts a wonderful narrative voice and secret codes that add another layer of intrigue - Guardian
Now and then, and only now and then, a book changes us. The Space We're In does that. It's ferocious and it's visionary. - Kevin Crossley-Holland
Katya Balen is an award-winning author of books for children. Katya's debut novel, The Space We’re In , was published in 2019 and was highly commended for the Branford Boase Award. Her second, October, October , won the Yoto Carnegie Medal. Her third novel, The Light in Everything, was published in 2022.
When she’s not writing books, Katya likes to scroll through dog-rescue websites, bake, and attempt to keep all her house plants alive. She lives in London with her partner and their dogs Raffi and Mouse.
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Queen of King Street
Heart warming, magical and true to life!
This is a heartwarming story that tells the story of true life, not a made up, happy fantasy. I loved following Tom and Zofia's story and their developing friendship.... Read Full Review
You could come back to this book time and time again. I loved it.
This book is about a boy called Tom and a girl called Zofia. Who can’t stand each other at all but gradually as they talk to each other more and more they become friends. I found this story impossible to put down with perfect amounts of time in between the action. It is told from both the children’s points of view and it is very clear when it switches from character to character.... Read Full Review
An absolutely spectacular and heartwarming book that will make you both laugh and cry at different stages, which is exactly what a book should do!
This is a heartbreaking (and heart-warming) book about two polar opposite kids, Tom and Zofia, who absolutely despise each other. Tom is a quiet and shy boy who has been afraid of the dark ever since his violent dad was sent to prison; Zofia is a loud and confident girl who's been happily living with her dad ever since her mum died. But then fate (and a baby) abruptly causes their lives to be thrust together and they wish the baby had never come. But, sometimes, you have to be careful what you wish for..................
This is a simple wonderful read aimed at children from the ages 9+ but can still be read and enjoyed by older kids. It's genres are definitely friendship and family.... Read Full Review
From the author of October, October, winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal 2022, comes a life-affirming story about blended families and learning to find room in your heart for new life and new love. Tom is still quiet and timid, even though his dad has been gone for nearly two years now.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Light in Everything and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
The Light in Everything features in the following genres: Books of the Month, Recommendations, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Julia Eccleshare's Picks of the Month, PSHE: Family Issues, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels
Paperback, Hardback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Light in Everything was written by Katya Balen and published by Bloomsbury Childrens Books an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
The Light in Everything has 318 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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