My Debut Novel - Asha And The Spirit Bird is:
Winner of the 2019 Costa Children's Book Award
Asha And 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? |
Praise For Asha - Reviews...
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 'Immerse yourself in a lush world of spirit birds and mango trees, snow leopards and majestic mountains, in a sumptuous and sizzling debut...a colourful story guaranteed to the win the hearts and minds of MG readers.' - Lancashire Post - 05.02.19 |
'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 '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 |