The Girl of Ink and Stars By Kiran Millwood Hargrave

I confess I have been hoovering over this in the bookshop for months now, stopping to read the blurb, flicking through the pages before reminding myself to be good (and read the books at home first) and replacing it on the stand.

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Age Range: KS2
Themes: Adventure, bravery, myth, magic, a hint of politics, family, single parent (loss of mother and a sibling prior to start of the book) and acceptance.
Publisher: Chicken House Ltd
Published: 2017
Break Down: Pages - 222, Chapters - 25 (approximately between 4 and 13 pages in length) Parts - 4.
Blurb: Each of us carries the map of our lives on our skin, in the way we walk, even in the way we grow.

My thoughts: I was glued to this book, ordered it Monday, it arrived Tuesday, had finished it by Thursday evening. I absolutely loved this book and am glad that I finally gave in and brought it. For months, on every trip to the bookshop I would look at this book and think about buying it - but each time I would ask myself: Do you really need it? and when do you have time to read? Consequently I would walk away empty handed, but then I did some supply in a class where they had read the first chapter and were reading the second. I quickly read the first chapter before the lesson and by the end of the lesson I was gripped. This book kick started a whole reading journey for me. Since finishing this book I have been on a real reading surge (shame I haven't been writing them up as quickly). 
For me this book is such a fresh idea and fantastic concept. It is in my opinion very well written, in an effective style.  I felt a real connection with the characters and their story, and it almost felt like a privilege to be involved in it. A completely immersive reading experience. Definitely a firm favourite and so far my favourite of the year.


Brief synopsis (for those teachers/parents who don't have time to read it - SPOILERS!):

• Isabella lives with her Da, a cartographer (map maker) on the Isle of Joya. She is an inquisitive and questioning child who is constantly seeking answers. 
• The Governor, who is in charge of the island, has changed live on Joya since he arrived and not everyone is happy with those changes. Isabella has also noticed his arrival coincided with the disappearance of the birds. 
•  However, the day a girl goes missing, everything changes, especially when the Governors daughter (and Isabellas friend - Lupe) decides to go searching for her.
• The Governors response is to immediately send out a search party through the uncharted and out of bounds areas of the island. 
• With no information to hand about the part of the island they are about to venture into, the Governor demands Lupes father is one of the party. Knowing her fathers health isn't up to the journey, Isabella however bravely poses as her 'brother' and goes to take her fathers place.
• Thankfully Isabella finds a friend (Pablo) also in the search party, however many dangers lie ahead. 
• They discover a village on the way which is unexpectedly occupied. The group are attacked and separated leaving Isabella, Lupe and Pablo to continue alone. 
• Isabella and Lupe end up venturing underground where they identify the problem and have to face it alone. Using all their knowledge and gathered information the girls realise what they must do, but it involves one of them making the greatest sacrifice of all.

It such an amazing read that I really don't want to reveal the whole plot as this is really worth the read. One of my absolute favourite books. 

Here is a video of Kiran Millwood Hargrave talking about The Girl of Ink and Stars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSBmAzcDY1g 
Teaching ideas:

• The children could profile the characters.
• One idea I saw recently and loved, which develops reading comprehension skills is identifying 'Character traits' 
1. The children choose a character,
2. Decide on a trait they think their character has e.g. caring, curiosity, adventurous, fearless, brave etc.
3. Find evidence that supports this e.g. I can tell Isabella is naturally curious because she asks her dad lots of questions about what happened when the Governor arrived. (This could also include a direct quote from the book). 
4. Reference the page(s) on which they found the evidence.

You could focus on just the first chapter or two, alternatively this could be something the children add to after each reading/instalment.
Click here for a template or here for an example of how it could be filled in for Isabella (focusing on just the first few pages). I can not claim this idea as my own, I picked it up whilst on supply, if your reading this, thank you Mrs R.

• Compare to other stories either based on an island e.g. Kensukes Kingdom and Islands of Chaldea by Diana Wynne Jones (I haven't read this one as yet, but it came up on a search for children's books based on islands) or with similar dilemmas. 

I love this book and think there is so much more you could do with it. I will come back and add ideas as they come to me. 

If you have more ideas please comment to share them with others.