Author(s): Emily Rodda

Adventure and Real Life Stories

From Australia's favourite storyteller comes a story, within a story, that shows us the extraordinary power of true love and solves a decades-old mystery.

'Once upon a time, in a dark city far away, there lived a boy called Walter, who had nothing but his name to call his own ...'

The handwritten book, with its strangely vivid illustrations, has been hidden in the old house for a long, long time. Tonight, four kids and their teacher will find it. Tonight, at last, the haunting story of Walter and the mysterious, tragic girl called Sparrow will be read - right to the very end ...

From one of Australia's most renowned children's authors, comes an extraordinary story within a story - a mystery, a prophecy, a long-buried secret. And five people who will remember this night as long as they live.

Kathleen's review - This is a bit of a ghost story and a bit of historical fiction and a bit of fairy tale.

A school trip to an old town in Australia ends up with the teacher and four kids stuck in an old run-down house without cellphone coverage and with a raging storm outside. The house is supposed to have been renovated, but things go wrong, and workers abandon it. The kids find an old illustrated storybook and begin reading it to pass the time. They start to notice strange corollaries.

I found this story really engrossing. And what a lovely mix of fairytale type of story with a modern mystery. Very nicely told.