By Sally Nicholls (author) , Julia Sarda (illustrator)
"Visually stunning and deliciously macabre re-working of a Grimm fairy tale."
Paperback Temporarily Out Of Stock £8.99 £8.09
Hardback In Stock £12.99 £11.69
View All Editions (2)
September 2023 Book of the Month
You can tell that everyone involved in the production of this book: from author to artist to designer, has relished their task! It truly is a beautifully produced book, with gold foiling and a dark autumnal palette, but the quality of the writing is equally outstanding.
Spare, yet lyrical and sardonically witty this is a personification of Death to match Terry Pratchett ! On the birth of his son, a poor fisherman in his leaky cottage, decides to seek out an honest man to be his son’s godfather in the hope of a brighter future for his son than he could provide. Bitingly rejecting the offers of both God and the Devil, he next meets the terrifying figure of Death and must concede that Death is truly honest and fair and invites him to be godfather. The scene where Death attends the christening is very droll, as he tucks into the food “everyone wondered where it went but were all too polite to ask”.
Death bestows upon the fisherman a gift which enables him to earn fame and fortune for his family. But when a sick King needs his skills, he is faced with an impossible choice and discovers that Death will not take kindly to being cheated. Further, when faced with his own demise, his greed leads to a terrible conclusion.
The detailed illustrations have an appropriately medieval woodcut feel and are the perfect foil to a perfect dark moral tale that will be fabulous to share around Halloween or to complement any Gothic or traditional tale study. Frankly I would love somebody to commission this pairing to remaster the complete Grimm canon! What a treat that would be.
A soul-stirring reimagined Grimm tale by award-winning author Sally Nicholls and hauntingly illustrated by Julia Sarda which will spellbind and thrill readers of all ages.
Read the full description
When a poor fisherman chooses Death to be godfather to his son, he's sure he's made a good choice - for surely there's no man more honest than Death? At the christening, Death gives the fisherman a gift that seems at first to be the key to the family's fortune, but when greed overcomes the fisherman, he learns that nobody can truly cheat Death . . .
'An outstanding reworking of an old tale' New Statesman, Picture Book of the Year
Sally Nicholls is a highly acclaimed writer for children, best known for her sensitive portrayal of difficult subjects for a younger age group. Her books have been translated into over 20 languages and her YA novel about the suffrage movement, Things a Bright Girl Can Do was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal.
Sally grew up in Stockton-on-Tees, and after school, travelled the world, working for a period at a Red Cross hospital in Japan. Sally's first novel, Ways to Live Forever , won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and she has been shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Costa Children's Book Award, and the Carnegie Medal, twice.
She lives in Liverpool with her husband and two sons.
Photo credit Joe Ratzer
The LoveReading4Kids Best Children's Books of the Year 2025
Best Children's Books for Halloween - Spooky, Funny and Scary Reads for Halloween
2025 Carnegies Nominations Announced
The LoveReading4Kids Best Children's Books of 2023
the best books for 7-9 year olds · the best books for 9-12 year olds · the best books for teenagers
Steven Quincey-Jones
The World Between the Rain
A soul-stirring reimagined Grimm tale by award-winning author Sally Nicholls and hauntingly illustrated by Julia Sarda which will spellbind and thrill readers of all ages. When a poor fisherman chooses Death to be godfather to his son, he's sure he's made a good choice - for surely there's no man more honest than Death?
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Godfather Death and determined it is suitable for children aged 7-12 years old
Godfather Death features in the following genres: Featured Books for 7+ readers, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, Stories about Family and Friends, Fantasy / Magical, Horror & Ghost Stories, Traditional Tales, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback, Hardback. £11.69, down from the £12.99 cover price. In Stock.
Godfather Death was written by Sally Nicholls and published by Andersen Press Ltd
Godfather Death has 48 pages
£11.69, reduced from £12.99. In Stock.
©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.