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  • Published: 3 April 2017
  • ISBN: 9780143309178
  • Imprint: Puffin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 192
  • RRP: $16.99

The Beast of Hushing Wood




By the award-winning author of The Wishbird. A powerful magic realism story about Ziggy Truegood, a young girl who has a premonition that she will drown on her 12th birthday.

Ziggy Truegood lives in a tiny town deep in Hushing Wood, where strange things are happening. The townspeople are fighting, Ziggy feels like something is hunting her, and her beloved woods have become dark and hostile. When exotic Raffi and his grandfather arrive in town, Ziggy finds herself strangely drawn to them. But are they there to save Ziggy, or are they the hunters?

Thought-provoking and engaging, Hushing Wood is a lovely blend of action, fable and magic realism.

  • Published: 3 April 2017
  • ISBN: 9780143309178
  • Imprint: Puffin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 192
  • RRP: $16.99

About the author

Gabrielle Wang

Gabrielle Wang is an author and illustrator, and the Australian Children's Laureate for 2022 to 2023. Born in Melbourne of Chinese heritage, her maternal great-grandfather came to Victoria during the Gold Rush and her father was from Shanghai. Her stories are a blend of Chinese and Western culture with a touch of fantasy.
Gabrielle’s first children’s novel, The Garden of Empress Cassia, won the 2002 Aurealis Award, was shortlisted for the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards and was a CBCA Notable Book. The Pearl of Tiger Bay was shortlisted for the 2004 Aurealis Award and The Lion Drummer was a Notable Book in the 2009 CBCA Book of the Year Awards. A Ghost in My Suitcase won the 2009 Aurealis Award, was a CBC Notable Book, was shortlisted for the 2011 Sakura Medal and received a Highly Commended in the 2010 Prime Minister's Literary Awards. Her first young adult novel, Little Paradise also received a Highly Commended in the 2011 Prime Minister's Awards. Gabrielle's picture book The Race for the Chinese Zodiac (2010) illustrated by Sally Rippin and Regine Abos was a Notable Book in the CBCA Awards for 2011 and shortlisted for the 2011 YABBA and WAYBRA awards. Gabrielle has created two popular characters Poppy and Pearlie for the highly successful 2011 Our Australian Girl series.
The Wishbird was a CBCA 2014 Notable Book and was shortlisted for the 2014 Australian Book Design Awards, Yabba Awards, Kroc Awards, Koala Awards, Cool Awards and Crystal Kite Award.
Gabi’s books also include the suspenseful The Beast of Hushing Wood for middle readers, and a sequel to the award-winning A Ghost in My Suitcase, called Ting Ting the Ghosthunter. Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon is her most recent novel.

Also by Gabrielle Wang

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Praise for The Beast of Hushing Wood

This intriguing books is a mixture of adventure, fable and magic realism. Middle-grade readers will enjoy the journey and learn, along with Ziggy, that something that might seem bad at first often turns out to be a good thing.

Pauline Hosking, Magpies Magazine

Awards & recognition

Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards

Shortlisted  •  2018  •  8–10 Years

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