'Absorbing, sensitive and genuinely magical in feel.'Independent

'Destined to be a modern classic.'Irish Examiner

'A tender tale.'Financial Times

'The Hilary Mantel of children's fiction.' The Telegraph



'You're telling me there are fairies in this wood?'





When Alice's brother gets a longed-for chance for a heart transplant, Alice is suddenly bundled off to her estranged grandmother's house. There's nothing good about staying with Nell, except for the beautiful Darkling Wood at the end of her garden - but Nell wants to have it cut down. Alice feels at home there, at peace, and even finds a friend, Flo. But Flo doesn't seem to go to the local school and no one in town has heard of a girl with that name. When Flo shows Alice the surprising secrets of Darkling Wood, Alice starts to wonder, what is real? And can she find out in time to save the wood from destruction?



Emma Carroll is a secondary school English teacher. She has also worked as a news reporter, an avocado picker and the person who punches holes into filofax paper. She recently graduated with distinction from Bath Spa University's MA in Writing For Young People. In Darkling Wood is Emma's third novel. She lives in the Somerset hills with her husband and two terriers.