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  • Published: 4 May 2009
  • ISBN: 9781742283180
  • Imprint: Penguin eBooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 186

Ghost's Child




The Ghost's Child is an enchanting fable about the worth of life, and the power of love.

'The sky was pitch, and gashed by lightning; loutish waves rose and slumped heavily as mudslides.  At a moment when she was filled with desperation, Maddy opened her mouth and yelled for Feather.  And half-expected him to appear, because she wanted him to so much.'

Maddy yearns for her life to be mystifying, to be as magical as a fairy story.  And then one day, on the beach she meets the strangest young man she has ever seen.

The Ghost's Child is an enchanting fable about the worth of life, and the power of love.

' . . . simply stunning . . . elements of fairy tale, romance and coming-of-age realism combine to create a wondrous and truly unique tale.' Sydney Morning Herald

  • Published: 4 May 2009
  • ISBN: 9781742283180
  • Imprint: Penguin eBooks
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 186

About the author

Sonya Hartnett

Sonya Hartnett's work has won numerous Australian and international literary prizes and has been published around the world. Uniquely, she is acclaimed for her stories for adults, young adults and children. Her accolades include the Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Of A Boy), The Age Book of the Year (Of A Boy), the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize (Thursday's Child), the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for both Older and Younger Readers (Forest, The Silver Donkey, The Ghost's Child, The Midnight Zoo and The Children of the King), the Victorian Premier's Literary Award (Surrender), shortlistings for the Miles Franklin Award (for both Of a Boy and Butterfly) and the CILP Carnegie Medal (The Midnight Zoo). Hartnett is also the first Australian recipient of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2008).

Golden Boys, Sonya’s third novel for adults, was shortlisted for the 2015 Miles Franklin Literary Award. She also published her fourth picture book, Blue Flower, illustrated by Gabriel Evans, in 2021 and it was shortlisted for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award.

Also by Sonya Hartnett

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Awards & recognition

International Board on Books for Young People

Nominated  •  2009  •  Honour Book

APA Book Design Awards

Shortlisted  •  2010  •  Best Designed YA Book

Australian Book Industry Awards

Shortlisted  •  2010  •  Book of the Year for Older Children

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