A Girl Called Owl

This is a story about fables and earth spirits, and how they can connect to the real world. The girl called Owl is a teenager, and she’s becoming obsessed with finding out who her father is. Her mother will only tell her that he was from a magical wintry land. Now Owl is finding that she has strange powers; she cries tears of ice, her touch freezes everything around her, and frost patterns are appearing on her skin. Bravely, she sets out to find the other world – the fay world – and discovers that her father is the mischievous and fickle Jack Frost!

The story blends the ancient fables and modern day together well, particularly with the character of the mysterious Alberic who appears at Owl’s school. He turns out like Owl, to be half human and half spirit, and his father the Earl of October has a long-standing battle with Jack Frost. Owl’s existence is at the root of their current dispute, and she has to draw on all her courage and resilience to help her father and bring peace to Mother Nature’s world.

As well as exploring ancient legends, this book explores themes of friendship and identity, and it works very well as a coming-of-age story with characters you genuinely care about.

Read our Q&A interview with Amy Wilson.