"Scottish folklore, soulful secrets, dark magic and ancestral destiny are at the fore of this first-rate Middle Grade adventure."
April 2026 Debut of the Month
Beautifully-written, and bathed the magic and majestic wildness of Scottish folklore and island landscapes, Jude Reid’s The Nightkeeper's Apprentice debut sees its endearing twelve-year-old protagonist Eilidh uncover uncanny family secrets when she’s evacuated to a remote Orkney Island. Exploring death and destiny through a thrilling elemental adventure, this wonderful novel has emotional depth, and enduring impact.
Eilidh’s story begins in 1941 near Glasgow, when “the sky was on fire” and “somewhere out in the Clydebank streets a siren began to wail”. With her dad lost at sea, she and her mum head to the air-raid shelter for the first time. Next morning, they emerge to find Clydebank bombed flat. So, Eilidh’s mum sends her to live with Aunt Rhona, her father’s sister, and her cousin Magnus in their seemingly safe Orkney Island home, where Eilidh’s father grew up.
As prickly Magnus ferries her to their isolated lighthouse in his Sea Witch boat, Eilidh is fascinated by seals singing on rocks — seeds of enchantment are sown early on. Then Aunt Rhona issues her with two important rules. She’s not to enter the lighthouse tower, and she’s not to touch anything that washes up on the shoreline. Soon enough, whispered secrets from the sea rise louder and stronger, and big questions swell: what is the “Nightkeep business” Magnus speaks of? Why does the sky light up “in ribbons of colour”? More is revealed when a ghostly boy appears, when Magnus divulges the truth of their Nightkeeper heritage, and when Eilidh sees the beautiful books her father created.
Interspersed with the thoughts of Sings-In-The-Shallows, a presence that talks of a time the destructive Landfolk will be gone and the “Finfolk will take back what is theirs”, The Nightkeeper's Apprentice is a lyrical, suspenseful page-turner that will be adored by thoughtful readers who love darkly magical stories and ghostly tales.
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When Second World War bombs start falling, twelve-year-old Eilidh Flett is evacuated to a place she's never heard of, to live with family she's never met. Stuck on a remote Orkney island, Eilidh's aunt gives her just two rules: don't touch anything that washes up on the shore, and never ever enter the island's lighthouse.
But this seemingly dull island is full of surprises. With the help of a ghostly new friend, Eilidh begins to unravel the lighthouse's mysteries: long-kept family secrets, a hidden order of Nightkeepers, and a darkly dangerous magic that could change the world as she knows it.
Does Eilidh have what it takes to become a Nightkeeper's Apprentice?
This enthralling upper middle grade mystery explores destiny, loss and hope. Jude Reid's lyrical debut children's novel is inspired by the wild places and magical folklore of Scotland.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Nightkeeper's Apprentice and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
The Nightkeeper's Apprentice features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, Fantasy / Magical, Historical Fiction, Horror & Ghost Stories, Mystery / Mythology, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Historical fantasy, c 1938 to c 1946 (World War Two period), Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, c 1940 to c 1949, Early 20th century c 1900 to c 1950, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, c 1500 onwards to present day, Time period qualifiers
The Nightkeeper's Apprentice is available in Paperback
The Nightkeeper's Apprentice was written by Jude Reid and published by Floris Books
The Nightkeeper's Apprentice has 216 pages
Yes it is part of Kelpies series
£7.19
