Annie Lumsden, the Girl from the Sea

A magical story about finding your identity from one of the most acclaimed storytellers of his generation, richly illustrated in full colour by an internationally renowned artist.

My mother says that all things can be turned to tales. I thought she meant tales like fish tails, but I was wrong. She meant tales like this, tales that are stories. But this tale of mine is very like a fish tail too...

Annie has never been like the other girls. Her mam tried sending her to school when she was small, but Annie couldn’t seem to make words or numbers stick. She prefers instead to be swimming in the sea, or sunbathing on the shore at Stupor Beach, her head full of tales. She should have been a fish, her mam always tells her, and Annie knows the truth of it. Then a stranger who comes to town is struck by the beauty and the wonder of her, and Annie Lumsden realizes that perhaps she really is half a creature from the sea.

David Almond OBE is the acclaimed author of many award-winning novels for children such as Skellig, Kit's Wilderness and My Name Is Mina, and has collaborated with artists Polly Dunbar, Dave McKean, Alex T. Smith, Marta Altés and Oliver Jeffers on fiction for younger readers. David's books sell all over the world, and in 2011 he was the recipient of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award. David divides his time between Bath and Newcastle; for more info visit www.davidalmond.com

Beatrice Alemagna is a bestselling author and illustrator of more than 30 books for children, including The Wonderful Fluffy Little Squishy, On a Magical Do-Nothing Day and Harold Snipperpot's Best Disaster Ever. She has been translated into many languages and won numerous awards, including the New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book and the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Born in Bologna, Italy, she now lives in Paris, France.