The Stickleback Catchers

Lisette Auton author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Penguin Random House Children's UK

Published:9th Feb '23

£7.99

Available for immediate dispatch.

The Stickleback Catchers cover

'A magic realist fight to save a beloved grandmother from dementia . . . dialect, disability, neurodivergence and gender-nonconformity were all woven incidentally into this open-hearted book - Guardian Best Children's Books of 2023


Mimi adores her wild, fun, full-of-life gran. Then Gran starts forgetting things. Suddenly there are cracks appearing all around their home - and a mysterious black crow - both of which only Mimi seems able to see.

Mimi is determined to solve the mystery. Luckily she has new friends to help: Titch and Nusrat. Together, they're the Stickleback Catchers: solvers of puzzles and seekers of adventure.

Down by the river, where the gang meet and the silvery sticklebacks swim, they discover a mysterious stone, speckled with stars. But this is no ordinary stone: it's the doorway to another world, a world of talking crows and secrets, magical constellations and memories - and maybe, just maybe, Mimi's chance to bring back Gran forever...

Touching, original and compelling, this is a nostalgic novel about old-fashioned childhoods, but it is also very much of our time. -- Children's Book of the Week * Sunday Times *
A moving, fantastical adventure story of coming to terms with challenge and change. -- Imogen Russell Williams * The Guardian *
The Stickleback Catchers is a magical tale sure to cast a spell over young readers. -- Pam Norfolk * The Lancashire Post *
Auton's brave kid voices ring true to age and region; the representation of differently abled people here is deeply matter-of-fact. -- Kitty Empire * The Observer *
A magic realist fight to save a beloved grandmother from dementia . . . dialect, disability, neurodivergence and gender-nonconformity were all woven incidentally into this open-hearted book. * Guardian - Best Children's Books of 2023 *

ISBN: 9780241522059

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 24mm

Weight: 318g

400 pages