Girl with the Broken Wing, The

Twins James and Amanda are woken from their sleep by a rap-rap at their attic window. There, wanting to come in, is a young and dishevelled angel. She’s wearing a white cotton dress, and from her shoulders is a pair of long wings, one of which is broken. But who is she? Feisty and spontaneous, she’s keen to participate in the twins’ lives, and, it soon becomes apparent, there’s nothing demure or angelic about her. Amanda tries to be amiable towards her, but James is wary. What exactly does she want? As she becomes a part of the twins’ life – and turns their routines topsy-turvy – it becomes increasingly clear she’s lonely and in need of young company. Is she in fact so different from them? The strength of the story is its ending, in many ways left unresolved. Bailey’s hatched, sensitive drawings add a further layer of enjoyment. Intriguing and well-written, this is a story that begs for a sequel. AF