The emotions of real families have always been [McKay's] forte, but in this evocative novel she makes something fantastical happen * Sunday Times *
This is magic without whimsy, a story about secrets and the power of books, with enough edge-of-the-seat moments to keep you hugging a cushion. * Observer *
A wonderful, sensitive depiction of the highs and lows experienced when trying to blend two families. * The Times - Children's Books of the Year *
The real pleasure of McKay's fiction lies in her eye for the everyday. There is always drama in her books, but she is too confident a writer to feel the need to shatter any teacups - and unusually for a children's author, many of her tales have no obvious villain. * The Telegraph - Best Books of the Year *
Wise and kind and utterly heart-wrenching and full of characters you will give your whole heart to -- Anna James
This story of blended families and a house where books come to life would make a perfect Christmas present for any bookish nine- to 12-year-old. -- Sally Nichols * The Observer - Children's Books of the Year *
Wise, funny and thoughtful, there are so many touching moments in this lovely book. * ReadingZone *
Vivid, hilarious, and heartbreaking, Hilary McKay's radiant characters touch my heart like real people, friends and loved ones I know well. Possibly the finest writer of our time. -- Elizabeth Wein
A bewitching tale about blended families and the power of books told with all the wisdom and heart you would expect. * Bookseller *
Hilary McKay is one of the great writers of children's fiction -- Sarah Hughes * Independent *
McKay couples warmth and grace with wry humour like nobody else out there -- Katherine Rundell * The Guardian *
Picking up a book by Hilary McKay is like slipping on bed socks on a chilly night. She knows how to look after her readers by ensuring that her characters are interesting and loveable from the start . . . -- The Times on The Skylarks' War, selected as Children's Book of the Year
Hilary McKay has a rare gift for novels about families and their interplay. -- LoveReading4Kids
McKay is a superb writer -- Sally Morris * Daily Mail *
Hilary McKay writes with a wry wit, warmth and just the right amount of now-characteristic whimsy -- Anne Fine, BookTrust Books of the Year, 2019
An instant classic * New York Times *
