The Treasure Seekers

LoveReading4Kids Says

Cathy Faulkner’s The Treasure Seekers is a verse novel set in a fictional northern village in the aftermath of the First World War, where communities are still coming to terms with loss and are then faced with the additional strain of the flu epidemic. The story follows Martha and Stanley, two children whose experiences of grief shape both their perspectives and their actions.

Martha is deeply affected by the death of her grandfather in a fire that destroyed his manor house, and she attributes much of her unhappiness, including her father’s depression, to that event. Her viewpoint is often inward-looking, particularly in the early stages of the novel. Stanley, on the other hand, has lost several members of his family in the war and is now facing the possible loss of his mother to illness.

He becomes focused on the idea that restoring the church’s missing stained glass windows might help bring some sense of healing to the village, and he draws Martha into this effort.

The verse format gives the story a gentle pace, and the use of concrete poetry at times adds an extra layer of meaning and interest, although it can occasionally disrupt the flow. The two narrative voices are clearly signposted through different fonts and very different accents, helping those unfamiliar with this style to distinguish between Martha and Stanley.

As the story develops, Martha begins to look beyond her own grief and consider the experiences of those beyond her privileged life. Martha’s gradual movement towards greater awareness of others is an important part of the story and it is her developing understanding that moves the story forward. Overall, the novel offers a thoughtful exploration of loss and community, with an accessible style that will appeal to readers new to verse fiction.

Reviewed by Louise Johns-Shepherd
Louise is the Chief Executive of The Kids Network, a charity supporting children through mentoring to feel happy and confident about themselves and their futures.
More reviews by Louise Johns-Shepherd

About The Treasure Seekers

An inspirational new free-verse novel from the award-winning author of Digging for Victory which was short-listed for The Week Junior Book Awards 2024 ‘Breakthrough Book’ category and long-listed for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing, Branford Boase Award and UKLA Book Awards 2024.

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