By Victoria Williamson (author) , Victoria Williamson (illustrator)
"A gripping story told through the voices of two very different young people"
Paperback Not Available
View All Editions (1)
Two young people, each with their own problems and challenges narrate Victoria Williamson’s poignant and moving novel.
Norah and her dad are living in a cramped, noisy B&B having lost their home. Delays and interruptions to benefit payments mean they’re often hungry and Norah is bullied at school too where she struggles with reading. Her love of animals provides some consolation; she has a pet spider and mouse and longs for a dog.
Caring for orphaned baby birds brings her into contact with Adam, who also loves animals, but has a very different life. His family are wealthy, but he is frustrated - and sad - because of the restrictions his parents place on him as he recovers from leukaemia. As the two form a friendship, dramatic events lead to changes in both their lives.
Written in direct, accessible prose the story has real momentum and while holding young readers’ attention will open their eyes to ways the less fortunate amongst us have to live.
Two very different lives. One shared hope for a brighter future. No time to waste. The flood is coming...
Read the full description
Eleven-year-old Norah Day lives in temporary accommodation, relies on foodbanks for dinner, and doesn't have a mum. But she's happy enough, as she has a dad, a pet mouse, a pet spider, and a whole zoo of rescued local wildlife to care for.
Eleven-year-old Adam Sinclair lives with his parents in a nice house with a big garden, a private tutor, and everything he could ever want. But his life isn't perfect - far from it. He's recovering from leukemia and is questioning his dream of becoming a champion swimmer. When a nest of baby birds brings them together, Norah and Adam discover they're not so different after all.
Can Norah help Adam find his confidence again? Can Adam help Norah solve the mystery of her missing mother? And can their teamwork save their zoo of rescued animals from the rising flood?
Offering powerful lessons in empathy, Norah's Ark is a hopeful and uplifting middle-grade tale for our times about friendship and finding a sense of home in the face of adversity.
Explores poverty, homelessness, childhood illness and bullying.
The author is donating 20% of royalties from Norah's Ark to UK charity Shelter.
Praise for The Boy with a Buterfly Mind :
'An insightful and touching insight into life with ADHD... Knee-jerk assumptions and mis-perceptions are gradually eroded in this rousing tale of friendship and understanding which will have your junior readers cheering on the good guys with gusto and, hopefully, an invigorated compassion.' -- The Big Issue, Kids Books of the Year 2019
'An honest insight into a boy's life with ADHD, with as much heart as [R.J. Palacio's] 'Wonder'.' - Children's Books Ireland Recommended Reads
'Although Elin and Jamie are vastly different, the author deftly shows the trauma of divorce on children. Achingly realistic, yet hopeful.' -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
'A compelling and affecting book about acceptance, openness, mental health and the intricacy of family.' - - BookTrust
'We like the story because the children are our age and have problems like the ones we have. It's a really nice book because it tells you that you don't have to be perfect or normal, it tells you to be yourself... It has a lesson to teach and sometimes made us feel sad. It tells you that if someone you care about leaves it could change who you are on the inside. We like the book and hope you do too.' -- Pupils of St Mary's Primary School, for the Dundee Evening Telegraph
'This heartbreaking book about the pain of divorce is a must-buy for all elementary libraries. Elin and Jamie's alternating first-person chapters help the reader understand both perspectives. Jamie's perspective is sure to help increase understanding about the difficulty of living with severe ADHD. The plot flows quickly and readers will likely find themselves experiencing strong emotions throughout this powerful novel.' -- Youth Services Book Review
'This sensitive and affirming novel deals with loss and change in a poignant and yet optimistic way. The complex but positive representation of neurodiversity is an important part of the story, and we love the thoughtful and realistic way Jamie is portrayed.' -- Seven Stories
'Williamson's character-driven novel presents an honest, introspective portrayal of the adolescent psyche amidst multiple family upheavals, and it is both heartbreaking and hopeful.' -- Booklist
'The Boy with the Butterfly Mind is an excellent story for any young reader who has ever felt that they are the cause of their family's problems.' -- Foreword Reviews
Victoria Williamson is an award-winning children’s author and primary school teacher from Scotland. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures and taught children and trained teachers in Malawi, Cameroon, and China and worked with children with additional support needs in the UK. She previously volunteered as a reading tutor with The Book Bus charity in Zambia and is now a Patron of Reading with CharChar Literacy to promote early years phonics teaching in Malawi.
Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see themselves reflected. Her books have won the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award in 2020/2021, have been shortlisted for the James Reckitt Hull Children’s Book Award in 2021, the Trinity Schools Book Award in 2021, the Yaldi Glasgow School Libraries’ Book Award in 2023, and have also been longlisted for the Branford Boase Prize and Waterstones Children’s Prize.
Jump into someone else’s story with the 2025 Read for Empathy collection from EmpathyLab
20 Children's Books Featuring Poverty and Homelessness
The UKLA Book Awards 2025 Longlist has been announced
The 2024 Yoto Carnegies Nominations Announced
the best books for 9-12 year olds
Grimwood: Rock the Vote!
Grimwood: Party Animals
We Are Family - Six Kids and a Super-Dad
Grimwood: Attack of the Stink Monster!
Hope Jones Saves the World
Two very different lives. One shared hope for a brighter future.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Norah's Ark and determined it is suitable for children aged 7-10 years old
Norah's Ark features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Wildlife, The Natural World, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Featured Books for 7+ readers
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. Not Available.
Norah's Ark was written by Victoria Williamson and published by Neem tree press
Norah's Ark has 298 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. Not Available.
©PTC International Ltd T/A LoveReading is registered in England. Company number: 10193437. VAT number: 270 4538 09. Registered address: 157 Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3HP. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer
The National Year of Reading starts here. Join thousands of families and schools supporting reading for pleasure across the UK.