The Stickleback Catchers

'A magic realist fight to save a beloved grandmother from dementia .

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dialect, disability, neurodivergence and gender-nonconformity were all woven incidentally into this open-hearted book - Guardian Best Children's Books of 2023


Mimi adores her wild, fun, full-of-life gran.

Then Gran starts forgetting things.

Suddenly there are cracks appearing all around their home - and a mysterious black crow - both of which only Mimi seems able to see.

Mimi is determined to solve the mystery.

Luckily she has new friends to help: Titch and Nusrat.

Together, they're the Stickleback Catchers: solvers of puzzles and seekers of adventure.

Down by the river, where the gang meet and the silvery sticklebacks swim, they discover a mysterious stone, speckled with stars.

But this is no ordinary stone: it's the doorway to another world, a world of talking crows and secrets, magical constellations and memories - and maybe, just maybe, Mimi's chance to bring back Gran forever.

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