Ink

Often rhythmic and onomatopoeic, K.M.S. Latham’s Ink tells an atmospheric, adventure- packed mystery story of courage and friendship as a mythical monster of the deep, dark sea unites three children.  

Aimed at 7+ year olds, a menacing mood is evoked from the off, with a lively opening scene seeing Finlay and his family at a Harvest of the Sea Festival. With local fishermen singing a shanty about the “Devil of the Deep Dark Sea”, plus a super moon due to bring unusually high tides, the adventure-to-come is clearly foreshadowed.   

A sense of peril escalates fast when three boats go missing at sea, and Finlay finds a beached sperm whale. Then news comes that a boat of migrants has gone missing during Storm Lilith, followed by Finlay’s friend claiming he sighted an enormous creature “slithering like a thousand eels” in the sea near Devil’s Island.  

When the boys meet Aya, a rescued migrant, the three young adventurers risk everything to search for Aya’s missing family, and to prove that the Devil of the Deep Dark Sea might just be more than mere legend…

-- Joanne Owen, Editorial Expert at LoveReading4Kids.co.uk

This story is a thrilling adventure that skillfully weaves the ancient and modern, mixing the challenges of our times with a classic monster mystery. With as many twists as a kraken’s tentacles, children will be gripped by this tale!

-- Dan Green, Editor of The Week Junior Science + Na