by Lauren St John (Author), David Dean (Illustrator), Lauren St John (Author), David Dean (Illustrator), Lauren St John (Author)
When she is eleven years old, Martine is orphaned and sent to live with her grandmother on a game reserve in South Africa. Her grandmother seems strangely unwelcoming and Martine has a difficult time settling in at her new school, where she is conspicuously an outsider. But she has an ally in Tendai - one of the keepers on the reserve, from whom she learns the lore and survival techniques of the bush, and in Grace - who instantly senses there is something special about Martine. There are secrets about Sawubona (the reserve) just waiting to be revealed, and rumours too about a fabled white giraffe - a trophy for hunters everywhere. One night Martine, lonely and feeling slightly rebellious too, looks out of her window and see a young albino giraffe - silver, tinged with cinnamon in the moonlight. This is the beginning of her mysterious and magical adventures - her discovery of her gift of healing and a secret valley that she travels to with the giraffe, where she'll find clues about her past and future. Above all it's is a heart-warming story, full of charm and atmosphere, and Martine's sheer delight in her giraffe friend and the fantastic landscape which is theirs to explore.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
Published: 01 Aug 2006
ISBN 10: 1842555200
ISBN 13: 9781842555200
Children’s book age: 9-11 Years
Book Overview: Debut children's author - and a fantastic new talent to add to the list. Real life adventure with a hint of magic. Fresh, original voice in a story with lots of atmosphere and charm. Exotic South Africa with its all its flora and fauna perfectly evoked. Great adventure read for 9-12 boys and girls. Rights sold in 6 languages & sales of over 11,500 in first month of publication.