A stunning new story from the queen of magical realism
XANTHE & THE RUBY CROWN
XANTHE & THE RUBY CROWN
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'Dances delicately with big topics - a big win for me’ Hannah Gold
‘Sensitively written and set against a true historical backdrop, this mystical story is a delight.’ DAILY MAIL 'The story is very touching, but even more affecting is Bilan’s gorgeous prose, which evokes a world full of wonder, glitter and light.’ BIG ISSUE 'A charming story that will appeal to fans of Eva Ibbotson and Kiran Millwood Hargrave.’ SCHOOL READING LIST ‘From a Nottingham tower block to postwar Africa, this sweeping, nuanced story from the author of Asha and the Spirit Bird follows an archaeology-obsessed girl as she traces her beloved Nani’s past.’ WATERSTONES, THE BEST CHILDREN’S BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN MARCH |
Xanthe & The Ruby Crown
Xanthe loves visiting her gran in her flat with its rooftop garden. But Nani is becoming forgetful – and Xanthe wishes she could help her, if only she knew how. A mysterious cat shows her a way. It leads Xanthe to clues about Nani’s childhood, and how, long ago, she had to escape her old life in Africa for a new one in Britain…
Xanthe loves visiting her gran in her flat with its rooftop garden. But Nani is becoming forgetful – and Xanthe wishes she could help her, if only she knew how. A mysterious cat shows her a way. It leads Xanthe to clues about Nani’s childhood, and how, long ago, she had to escape her old life in Africa for a new one in Britain…
Aarti & The Blue Gods
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Aarti has lived nearly her whole life on the island. Orphaned as little girl, she has been taken care of by Aunt, whose temper is as stormy as the weather. Aarti’s only comforts are her pet fox, Chand, and a colourful storybook about the Hindu gods. Then one day, she finds a tatty toy rabbit hidden in a locked room and memories of another time and place start to surface. She begins to suspect that Aunt has not been truthful about who she and Aarti really are ...
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Tamarind & The Star Of Ishta
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Tamarind never knew her Indian mum, Chinty, who died soon after she was born. So when she arrives at her ancestral home, a huge mansion in the Himalayas surrounded by luxuriant gardens, she’s full of questions for her extended family. But instead of answers, she finds an ominous silence – and a trickle of intriguing clues: an abandoned hut, a friendly monkey, a glowing star ring, and a strange girl in the garden who calls herself Ishta. Slowly, Tamarind unravels a mystery at the heart of who she is …
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Praise For Asha & The Spirit Bird....
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'This jewel of a book, suffused with colour, warmth, hope and, of course, edge-of-your-seat adventure, is the perfect holiday read. Every school should have a copy.' - Lauren St John |
'An evocative debut...weaves ancient Hindu beliefs into a fast-past quest...satisfyingly classic in feel.' - Imogen Russell-Williams - The Guardian - Books Of The Month - 25.01.19 |
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'Fantastic debut...uplifting adventure...fire and fury...Bilan creates a vivid world." - Alex O'Connell - The Times Review Children's Book Of The Week - 02.03.19 |
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'A beautifully evocative adventure, complete with prowling tigers and mystical vultures that follows a young girl's journey through the Himalayas to find her father.' - Abi Elphinstone |
Bilan's story is an eye-opening adventure with one-sandalled foot in atmospheric realism and a toe-hold in the mythical.' - Kitty Empire - Observer Review Sunday - 13.01.19 |
Asha & The Spirit Bird
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Asha & The Spirit Bird is aimed at readers aged 9 years+. It's an adventure story with a magical twist set in Northern India. The story follows eleven-year old Asha, who is empowered with spiritual connections to her grandmother, as she journeys through the wild and dangerous Himalayas with her best friend Jeevan.
Can they find Asha's missing papa in the city of Zandapur and return home before creditors take everything her family ever worked for? And is the lamagaia that Asha keeps seeing really her grandmother's spirit guiding her, or is it just a mountain bird as Jeevan keeps saying? |
The Author
Jasbinder and Enzo
Jasbinder Bilan, author of Asha & The Spirit Bird and Tamarind & The Star Of Ishta, lives near Bath, in England, with her husband, two sons and an adorable little dog named Enzo. She works as a teacher and in her free time (when she's not out walking Enzo), loves writing stories for children.
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