Twelve-year-old Sadé has been escaping to an imaginary world ever since her mum passed away - with its candy-floss lilac sky, she goes on endless adventures atop her purple-winged bird, Nix. But soon she discovers that frightening shadow beasts live here too and they are seeping into the real world.
Luckily, when her sister signs her up to an anonymous grief counselling group, Sadé finds her anxiety gets better.
But then she's asked to perform spoken word in the talent show. The beasts won't let her get on stage: Tiger appears with her long sharp claws, Lion with his piercing blue eyes, and Fox stands on his giant hind legs.
Will Sadé find the courage to say what she needs to - can she banish the shadow beasts for good?
A story about a girl dealing with the death of a parent - with the help of a school support group and a colourful world only she can see.
I don't think my review can do this book justice, but I'll try.
Sadé's mum used to tell her stories and listen to hers in return. Their favourites were the stories Sadé set in her magical world, with its candy floss clouds, rapping roses and Nix, Sadé's best friend. The fact that she's a giant purple bird is irrelevant. But since her mother died, Sadé's world has lost its colour. Battling grief and a family who can't seem to come together, Sadé must find a way to restore her friends and her world before the darkness in it swallows her up as well.
This is an absoloutely beautiful book, heavy with fabulous illustrations. I'm not sure if the ones in my proof are the finished versions; if so, they're amazing, and if not I can't wait to see how they can be made even better. Sadé is a wonderful character. I loved that, with only one or two exceptions, everyone around her was trying their best; they weren't always sure what the best thing to do was, but they kept trying and learning and they always meant well. (That's not always an excuse, I know, but it does help!)
This is a wonderful story, both for people who've suffered some kind of loss and those who haven't. I can't wait to start selling it; it needs to be on shelves everywhere. Just fantastic.
Sadé and her Shadow Beasts publishes on the 7th of July, 2022. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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