News

​We are so excited to announce that ahead of its super-anticipated launch this week on Thursday 4th with the fantastic indie Knights Of, debut author Elle McNicoll’s A Kind of Spark has been chosen as Blackwell’s Children’s Book of The Month for the whole of June!

A KIND OF SPARK tells the story of 11-year-old Addie as she campaigns for a memorial in memory of the witch trials that took place in her Scottish hometown. Addie knows there’s more to the story of these ‘witches’, just like there is more to hers. Can Addie challenge how the people in her town see her, and her autism, and make her voice heard?

A story about friendship, courage and self-belief, perfect for fans of The Goldfish Boy.

And even more exciting news, A Kind Of Spark was featured in The Observer on Sunday, written by Kitty Empire;

Author Elle McNicoll is herself on the autism spectrum and in A Kind Of Spark (Knights Of), her protagonist Addie becomes outraged when she learns how her Scottish village persecuted women who were different - witches.

Might some of them have been autistic? Although Addie is adamant the women deserve a memorial, the village is not as keen to commemorate a bleak episode. Vividly drawn are Addie’s sensory overstimulation and bone-weary shifts worked by Addie’s loving parents; the cruelty of a new teacher who refuses to make allowances for Addie is particularly keenly felt.