Review | Children’s book Julia and the Shark a harrowing, moving, inspiring story of a summer holiday and a lost innocence
- Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s latest work of children’s fiction sees a 10-year-old and her parents take a summer holiday in a lighthouse on a Scottish island
- At first all seems idyllic as Julia learns about island life, and about sharks from her brilliant, yet fragile mother – then dark replaces light
Julia and the Shark, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, pub. Orion Children’s Books
When Kiran Millwood Hargrave appears on November 14 at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, the audience could be forgiven for wondering which writer will turn up.
Will it be the bestselling author of The Mercies, her prize-winning debut 2020 novel for adults? Or Kiran Millwood Hargrave, the prize-winning poet? Or Kiran Millwood Hargrave, the playwright? Or Kiran Millwood Hargrave, the chart-topping author of children’s books such as The Girl of Ink & Stars (2016) and The Deathless Girls (2019).
The obvious answer is all of the above. A more literal one is Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of Julia and the Shark. The book returns Hargrave to the familiar terrain of children’s fiction after a successful dive into “grown-up” waters. In other ways, it sees her breaking new ground and collaborating for the first time with her husband, Tom de Freston, a multimedia artist making his debut in book illustration.
The bare bones of the plot are summarised early on. “This is the story of the summer I lost my mum, and found a shark older than trees. Don’t worry though, that doesn’t spoil the ending.”
