LoveReading4Kids Says
Shortlisted for the Week Junior Book Awards 2023
Showing we should never make prejudiced assumptions about what people are capable of, Victoria Williamson’s War of the Wind is a page-turning, inclusive eco-thriller for our times.
Readers will truly empathise with the authentic, honest portrayal of the struggles and conflicts Max faces when an accident on his dad’s boat leaves him deaf. He’s embarrassed at being lumped in with other special needs kids, and ashamed of feeling embarrassed. He’s jealous of his baby sister, and hurt his dad doesn’t try to communicate with him. And, though he misses hanging out with his old friends, Max is increasingly horrified by the way they bully other kids in his special needs class.
Amidst this internal maelstrom, an external storm is brewing in the form of the wind farm that’s just been installed on his small Scottish island. While Max had been looking forward to the internet access that was supposed to come in its wake, he and his new friends make a terrifying discovery — “the turbines had come and now there was a whole beach strewn with dead bats, and a platoon of soldiers with guns occupying the power station.” And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
When Max and his mates figure out that the lethargy and violent outbursts in his community are down to Doctor Ashwood’s sinister experiments, it falls to them to form an army to fight back.
Joanne Owen
Find This Book In
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War of the Wind Synopsis
An action-packed eco-thriller for 11+ readers from award-winning children's author, Victoria Williamson. On a remote Scottish island, fourteen-year-old Max's life changes forever when he loses his hearing in a boating accident.
Struggling to make sense of his new life and finding it hard to adapt in school, he begins to notice other - even stranger - changes taking place when a new wind farm appears off the island's coast.
With the help of three school friends with additional support needs, Max discovers that a sinister scientist, Doctor Ashwood, is using wind turbines to experiment on the islanders. They must find a way to shut down the government's secret test before it spins out of control...
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781911107507 |
| Publication date: |
23rd September 2022 |
| Author: |
Victoria Williamson |
| Publisher: |
Neem Tree Press Limited |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
256 pages |
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Victoria Williamson Press Reviews
‘The book was brilliant! My 13-year-old daughter and I both really enjoyed reading it. The story was thrilling and a real page turner.’—Rebecca Mansell, The British Deaf Association
‘The book that absolutely needed to be written: children with additional support needs see themselves reflected in the characters of a contemporary story...a fast-paced adventure with real heart which does not gloss over the challenges faced by young people who are different. Empathetic, honest and compelling.’—Barbara Henderson, twice winner of the Young Quills Award and author of The Reluctant Rebel and The Chessmen Thief
‘What a pacy, engaging read! This exciting eco-thriller held me from first line to last: young teen characters realised with such warmth and insight; a threat to their island community that starts insidious, turns sinister and then terrifying. This is a writer handling her material – not least the characters with special needs – with confidence, care and skill. Strongly recommend.’ —Beverley Birch, founder of Children’s Writers & Illustrators for Stories & Literacy, and author of Song Beneath the Tides and Rift
‘An exciting environmental thriller with an empathy-fuelled inclusive twist. Excellent positive representation … we can all learn a little something from this!’ —Dan Smith, award-winning author for children and teens including Nisha’s War, Boy X, and Below Zero
‘War of the Wind is an exciting adventure story with an important message about accepting differences.’ —Lindsay Littleson, Kelpies Prize winner and Carnegie-nominated author of children’s books including The Rewilders and Guardians of the Wild Unicorns
‘Places kids with different needs centre-stage. This book puts the turn in page turning. Go pre-order now!’—Justin Davies, Award-winning author of children’s books including Help! I Smell a Monster and Whoa! I Spy a Werewolf
‘Excuse the pun, but Victoria Williamson’s fantastic environmental thriller with a great cast of inclusive characters has blown me away!’—Kate Wiseman, Award-winning author of children’s books including Gangster School and Icarus and Velvet
‘Max struggles with the sudden loss of his hearing. When wind turbines appear in the bay, events turn sinister. Victoria Williamson cranks up the tension perfectly until the book’s thrilling ending. We are reminded not to underestimate those different from ourselves. Bravo, Victoria!’—Juliette Forrest, Award-winning author of children’s books including The Mountain Rescue Dog and Twister
‘An environmental thriller for a teen audience with positive representation of children with additional support needs, this book needs to be in every school!’ ’—Veronica Price, Clinical Outreach Librarian and blook blogger at www.vsviewfromthebookshelves
About Victoria Williamson
Victoria Williamson is an award-winning children’s author and primary school teacher from Scotland. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures and taught children and trained teachers in Malawi, Cameroon, and China and worked with children with additional support needs in the UK. She previously volunteered as a reading tutor with The Book Bus charity in Zambia and is now a Patron of Reading with CharChar Literacy to promote early years phonics teaching in Malawi.
Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see themselves reflected. Her books have won the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award in 2020/2021, have been shortlisted for the James Reckitt Hull Children’s Book Award in 2021, the Trinity Schools Book Award in 2021, the Yaldi Glasgow School Libraries’ Book Award in 2023, and have also been longlisted for the Branford Boase Prize and Waterstones Children’s Prize.
More About Victoria Williamson
