Eloquently told environmental tale. Penfold's stories are stories that provoke deep thought about the world now and the environmental impact that our actions will have on future generations.
In Between Sea and Sky, we join Pearl and her sister Clover. They live on their floating oyster farm isolated from the 'landlubbers' - those that toil on the land ravaged by environmental disasters. The Central control everything including the population - families are restricted to only one and Clover is an illegal second child. Pearl will protect her sister at all costs. Their world is upended when Nat arrives - he is carrying a secret that could put them all at risk.
Nicola Penfold uses phrases such as the Hunger Years, Decline, Recovery and the Greedy Years. Phrases that will undoubtly become part of our vernacular as, scarily, these events that Penfold writes about in this story may be closer than we think. A brilliant read, worthy of 5 stars and one that should be shared in every UKS2 classroom. We need to start the conversations and this book is perfect.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little Tiger Press for this e-copy.

In this vividly imagined dystopian world, much of the world is underwater and the recent past included mass starvation. Nat lives in the mainland in a compound of concrete and steel on stilted metal legs to protect people from recurrent floods; the Central District strictly controls every facet of life, with people being given ‘civil disobedience points’ for their own and their children’s transgressions – and if points are too high then they are removed to a prison ship on the horizon, never to be seen again. Nat finds some tiny living things which could be pollinators, and he is immediately supposed to turn them over to the Uplands people – but he is curious and he doesn’t. Meanwhile Pearl and her younger sister Clover live on a floating oyster farm and are at one with the sea. They have more freedom, but Clover is ‘illegal’ because only one child is allowed – second children are removed to work for the district, so Clover needs to be hidden from authorities and she can’t go to school. Their mother died several years earlier, and Pearl blames the poisons in the land for her mother’s illness. To Pearl’s enragement, ‘landlubber’ Nat comes for the summer to the sea farm with his mother, a researcher, and the living things he secretly brings with him represent hope and danger.

This is a thought-provoking environmental adventure about a potential future caused by climate change leading to catastrophic flooding and destruction of eco-systems. Penfold is superb at creating settings that make you feel like you are there, and her dual narrative protagonists are interesting and complex. This is an excellent addition to the burgeoning genre of environmental fiction, and will be enjoyed by young people from Year 6/7 and up.

I loved Nicola Penfold's debut, and this is just as good, if not better. The writing is just magical, I could feel the sea air, and the many different aspects of this book come together in such a unique way without bashing us over the head with them or feeling disjointed in any way - I went into it thinking it was going to be a purely environmental story, but there is so much more to it! Family, friendships, loyalty, a great dystopian situation questioning the powers of government and those in power, this story stuck with me for a while. I can’t wait to see what the author does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Tiger for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Dystopia is a rare genre these days, though it is starting to make a comeback. After the oversaturated days of the gritty, grim concrete worlds of totalitarian dictatorships in YA where the focus was on personal liberty not environmental, BETWEEN SEA AND SKY is like a breath of fresh air.

It's a lovely MG eco-dystopia full of hope for a better future, while the present is being kept rigid by rules and regulations. It has the feel of being both present day and near future, an idyllic sea bay that not quite able to provide enough of a refuge from the inland world.

As well as exploring eco disasters - made by man - there are other themes, such as closing borders to those in need in order to "protect the homeland and those here already." With everything that's been so publicly happening in politics recently, to the point that it feels almost normal, it's so important to talk about these things. I am loving seeing them come up in books for all ages, explored in a variety of ways that calls them out.

It was really nice getting the perspectives of Pearl and Nat - one sea-dweller at home on the sea farm but suspicious of all things landlubber, and one land-dweller out of his depth but much more open. The contrast allowed for different perspectives on the plot, to see if from more than one angle - and how it affected everyone, just not in the same way. Plus, both the terror and the wonder of the sea can be shown (I am firmly with Nat on not liking boats and would not have been as brave as him in the storm!)

There are a lot of different relationships portrayed - close parent-children ones, strained parent-children, friendship, siblings (in all their very messy glory), and unofficial guardians. Plus the strain each one, particularly new ones, can have on other relationships. It felt like a very welcome change to see so many different relationships take centre stage, when often only one or two get the spotlight.

The writing reminded me of the sea, generally silky smooth, but able to become a tempest very quickly. It really helped unify the feel of the book, having the sentences mimic the water it was set around.

Between Sea and Sky is a powerful story that encourages readers to question what we value and how our actions now will impact the future.

Set in a post-climate change society, life is hard. People have lived through the Greedy Years, the Decline, the Floods and the Hungry Years. Nothing is the same as it once was. Government controls are strong and restrictions dictate every part of life. Nat, Pearl and Clover live in two very different parts of this ecological dark age: Nat is a landlubber while Pearl and Clover live on an oyster farm in the bay.

Everything changes for them all when their families are brought together. Nat must learn the ways of the sea as the girls scrutinise his strange ways. Each of them has their own fears and things they have lost. They need answers, healing and friendship.

Tiny signs of recovery bring hope – the value of migrants, the pricelessness of pollinators, the healing power of the sea. Change is possible but it takes a child to see it.

Thank you to Little Tiger for this important book!

Set in a future dystopian England after an environmental disaster, Pearl and Clover live at sea on an oyster farm, hiding from a world where families are not permitted to be more than one child. The arrival of Nat and his mother for the summer has drastic consequences. Well worth reading.

"It predates not only the floods and the Hunger Years, but the Decline, and even the Greedy Years before that. It's from when the land was still healthy enough to farm, before the poisons and the saltwater got in."

This is an incredibly beautiful and powerful story set in a near future coastal community on the east coast of England. The extract that I have quoted from page 11, locates the reader in the space with great economy, as it describes Crier's Windmill which will become a pivotal location in the story. As the book opens, you join Nat and his two best friends Tally and Lucas as they set off on their bicycles for summer holiday pranks and dares amongst the sterile landscape of the solar fields and Edible Uplands factory farm. It cleverly positions young readers in a recognisable activity before the clues about this dystopian future lead to the realisation of how society could be changed following ecological disaster.

Meanwhile, sisters Pearl and Clover, live with their father and their collective grief on an oyster farm; a ramshackle structure of narrowboats and the remnants of an offshore oil rig, held together as precariously as their family, with bindings that require constant re-knotting to stop the construction coming apart. We quickly learn that siblings are not allowed in the district of Blackwater Bay, where the feared Peacekeepers remove illegal second children, issue civil disobedience points and regularly send unlucky trespassers to the prison ship which is anchored further out in the bay. A visible reminder to all that resisting the state rule will be punished.

The two existences come together when Nat's mum, Sora, a senior scientist, is sent by the District Controller to study the farming methods pioneered on the Oyster Farm to try to enhance food production for the district. When the "landlubbers" relocate to the feared world of the water, Nat brings some uninvited guests - jars of caterpillars that he has collected from the wild thistles in the solar fields. This act of rebellion (all pollinators are claimed by Central District) sets a metamorphosis in motion that will affect more than just the lepidoptera.

Nicola Penfold has written an exquisite story which brilliantly captures some of the pressing concerns of our age, she has crafted memorable characters and a plot that simmers with tension and edginess as the storm brews in the background. Her love of the natural world shines through the narrative which is peppered with a feast of Easter eggs in the form of the names of both human and non-human characters. She acknowledges the fact that children show far more awareness and concern about the environment and the plight of migrants than many adults; this is perfectly encapsulated by Pearl:

"You're missing all of it because you're not bothering to look! None of you are!"

I am sure that this book will prove to be extremely popular with upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 children, I can imagine it becoming a favourite whole class read, perhaps to accompany topics on global warming or food production. It is also a book that many adults would benefit from reading; a perfectly assembled plot with a thoughtful and valuable message. I loved it.

I am very grateful to Little Tiger Press and NetGalley for allowing me early access to an electronic version of this book which will be published on 7th July 2021.

When landlubber Nat meets Pearl and Clover, the daughters of an oyster farmer - one boisterous and bubbly, one sullen and moody - he knows it's not going to be a normal summer.

In the not so distant future, life is different. Land and sea are two very separate places, and the only people to bridge that gap are the inmates on the prison ship. All good is grown in a tower, with strict rules and regulations in the so-called Compound. But Nat and his scientist mum are sent to spend the summer on the oyster farm - something Clover is thrilled about, but Pearl is decidedly less so.

Intertwined swimming lessons and learning to give to the sea, Nat, Clover and Pearl must do their best to save a creature most people have forgotten about, marking the potential for new life ... Or, more importantly, a return to old life.

Nicola Penfold has a knack for creating a world, and characters, that you become invested in quickly. You root for all of them, despite their differences (except maybe the peacekeepers, no thank you!). Though a chilling insight into what life might look like if we continue to abuse its natural gifts and resources, the world she creates is also calm, soothing, and stunningly beautiful in its own right. The story reminds us to fight for what we believe in, even if it's not what everyone else thinks is right, and that people can surprise you. I truly adored this book, and can't wait to read more from Nicola in the future.

I adore Nicola Penfold's writing.

I love how she is able to weave environmental themes into her stories in a way that's fresh, intriguing and full of wonder at the natural world.

Fast forward to the future - where a series of serious climate emergencies have changed life beyond recognition, both on land and sea. Pearl and Clover live on the seas - they know how to respect it, and how it can take care of them. They are convinced the land is not a place for them. Not since their mother went there. Not since she failed to return.

When Nat and his mother arrive from the land, to learn about their way of life, it all starts to unravel very quickly. Dad gets sick and must return to the land. Pearl and Clover? They've got a secret. A huge secret. Going to the land themselves... that could end up in disaster, couldn't it?

A fast-paced story filled with twists, energy and the most visually enticing descriptions.

A beautiful story from Nicola Penfold. Her depiction of nature is stunning.

This is set in the not-to-distant future and is about a time when climate change has taken over and we have to live with the consequences. It features Nat (a boy of the land) and Clover and Pearl (sisters of the sea) and what happens when their worlds collide. A beautiful, well written story that is actually quite close to home but still fantastical enough to be fiction.

Ahead of Our Time!

Nicola's work are like footprints on the moon. They always leave an everlasting mark in my heart.

Between Sea and Sky has done more than that...digging out my sense of guilt, teasing my conscience and lashing questions straight to my face.

Nicola is a marvel!

Thank you Little Tiger Group & NetGalley for the e-ARC.

“Somewhere, between the sea and the sky, there are other places.”

Pearl and Clover live with their father on the oyster farm. Clover yearns to go to school but Pearl is determined to never step foot on land again, certain the land’s poisons were responsible for her mother’s death. Pearl and Clover are keeping a big secret, one that will tear their family apart if anyone ever finds out.

Nat lives on the land with his mother, a science advisor who works hard to provide for her son. Nat enjoys playing with his friends but is always careful not to get caught doing anything that will accumulate civil disobedience points for his mother. The constant threat of peacekeepers and the visual reminder of the prison ship keep the people on the land in line.

““You don’t know what it’s like, living there,” he’d said quietly, gazing back to land. “Some rules are hard to keep.””

Nat doesn’t want to stay at the oyster farm with his mother this summer and Pearl definitely doesn’t want “landlubbers” intruding on their lives but it’s the beginning of something new. Nat has his own secret, one that could change everything.

I couldn’t help comparing this book with the author’s debut, Where the World Turns Wild. Both feature worlds that ours could easily begin to resemble in the not too distant future if we don’t take climate change seriously.

My biggest delight came when I realised that the names of the characters in both books have been so carefully and cleverly chosen. There are some names in this book that foreshadow a character’s role or something about their personality. However, the ones that really stood out to me were those I could easily align with elements, which are a vital part of this story. For example, Sora is a Japanese name that means ‘sky’.

“Water is the sea all around us. Earth the poisoned land. Air’s the sky where the gulls fly.
Fire is the Decline. Here it was floods and the rising storm water, but elsewhere it was fire. The world got too hot. Fire burned forests and villages, whole cities too.
Spirit is everything that was lost.”

The only thing I adored in Where the World Turns Wild that I missed in this book was a connection to a special adult. I love Annie Rose from Where the World Turns Wild as much now as I did the day I met her. While I liked many of the adult characters in this book there wasn’t someone that I got to know well enough to want to spend all of my time with. The closest I came was with Olive but, for reasons that will become clear as you read the book, she wasn’t ever going to be as knowable as Annie Rose was.

Kate Forrester, whose cover image was what initially drew me to Where the World Turns Wild, has also designed this cover. The details will all mean something to you once you’ve finished reading.

“But if people don’t try, things won’t ever change, will they?”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, an imprint of Little Tiger Group, for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 4.5 stars.

Nicola Penfold's first book was my book of the year so I had high hopes for this one. I was not disappointed. I find it incredible how an author can create a world so real that, after being only a few pages in, you feel like you've always known it. I loved the world of Clover and Pearl, with their boats and wishing and porpoises and I was equally fascinated by Nat and the points board and flag day. The descriptions of nature are wonderful and I loved the characters and how real they seemed.

In short, just get yourself a copy and read it. Once you've done that, if you have somehow missed Nicola Penfold's first book, read that. Then you'll be ready to join those of us who are already looking forward to whatever this brilliant author comes up with next.

Between Sea and Sky is a beautifully written, thoughtful book, which encourages the reader to engage with environmental issues such as climate change. Set in a dystopian future, in a world shaped by pollution and rising sea-levels, the dual narrative structure forces the reader to consider the impact of issues such as climate change, famine and governance from the perspective of two children, dealing with the consequences of choices made by their ancestors. The premise is clever, gently guiding the reader to reflect.

Nat was raised within the confinements of the mainland, with its solar panels, the growing tower and the endless rules and regulations. When he is forced to spend the summer at a sea farm, he meets Pearl and Clover, self-professed sea girls. Both Nat and the girls are keeping things hidden which threaten their very existence. Can this landlubber trust the sea witches with his biggest secret?

For me, the strongest aspect of this book was not the dystopian setting, nor the obvious environmental message, but rather the strength of relationships portrayed and the believability of the characters. The narrators feel real: they are flawed, they feel deeply and they have their own internal struggles and demons to conquer. As a reader, I enjoyed watching them grow and mature, whilst observing the shifting sands of their relationships.

Between Sea and Sky was imaginative, unpredictable and thought-provoking. It stayed with me after I’d finished it. It would be enjoyed by children in Year 6 and above. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

In Blackwater Bay, Nat and his Mum live strictly controlled lives in a compound on stilts close to the Edible Uplands farming complex. The threat of the prison ship hangs over them—home of those who commit even minor infractions against edicts issued by the Central District. Sisters, Pearl and Clover live a very different life on a floating oyster farm with their Dad—a small oasis from the one-child laws that condemn Clover’s very existence. When Nat’s Mum is sent to the Oyster farm to carry out some research, Nat brings with him a dangerous secret that could have far-reaching consequences for all of them.

The exact details of the environmental crisis that led to the current state of this dystopian world are not explained, and the politics remain in soft focus in the background (though the peacekeepers and the prison ship are a very real and immediate threat). Instead, this is a story of friendship and discovery. Pearl is suspicious of Nat at first and antagonistic towards all ‘landlubbers’, but the children realise that, through cooperation, they may perhaps have a way to improve their lives and those around them. But the thrumming heart of this story is the environmental theme—and in particular the importance of pollinators. Perhaps through cooperation, we can still save them.

‘Between Sea and Sky’ is a lyrical, stirring adventure story with a compelling environmental message. Highly recommended.

Fabulous, topical story. Vivid description, evoking all the senses. Shamelessly confronting sensitive issues, so beautifully written for young readers. Courageous, inspiring characters. A brilliant, thought provoking read!

I hadn't read Nicola Penfolds previous book, so I was excited to have the opportunity to review Between Sea And Sky. Written with science and heart, this is the ideal dystopian UKS2 read with timely links to climate change, food production & justice. I loved the contrast between Clover & Pearl, the sinister threat of secret siblings & development of friendships despite differences & limitations. The writing flowed beautifully too, and I will be recommending this to my school pupils.

I enjoyed this book immensely, reading it in one sitting. Set in a future where people are ruled and governed tightly, this story follows the lives of three children; a ‘landlubber’ (Nat), and sisters who live on boats at their oyster farm (Pearl and Clover). The pace moves along nicely and the relationships were believable. The girls quarrelled, one glad of new company (Nat), and the other mistrusting the stranger and his mum when they join the girls and their Dad for the summer. A grim look at a possible future for humanity, this story gives cause to sit back and think. Tension ran through each page, an uneasiness that I could not shake. A sign to me of great writing. I highly recommend this book, whether you are a fan of dystopian stories or not. It was far from anything I would normally read, which made my enjoyment of it all the more surprising. I look forward to reading more from this author.

A little over a year ago, I purchased Where the World Turns Wild – Nicola Penfold’s debut book, after what was one of the earliest reading recommendations I received on Twitter. That storyline really struck a chord with me – as it did with many people – reading it as I did early on in the Covid pandemic, with its powerful description of a world permanently, and dreadfully, altered by the effects of a disease which had spread through the population.

Having absolutely loved that title, I was desperate to see what Nicola would come up with next so when the title of this – her second book – was announced, I immediately added it to my TBB list – noting carefully its July publication date and telling myself I would need to be patient. That, however, was before it appeared on Net Galley at the beginning of this week and, reasoning that it was the start of the Easter holiday, convinced myself that requesting it wouldn’t really be increasing my ever- growing TBR pile as I would have lots of time in which to read.

Lots of time was not needed though, as less than 24 hours after picking it up, I had finished it – and, in common with Where the World Turns Wild, it has left me stunned, with its strong messages on the importance of safeguarding the environment, trust and the power of familial love.

The story is told through the dual narration of Nat and Pearl – two strangers whose young lives have both been shaped by the constraints put upon them following the Hunger Years. Nat and his friends amuse themselves planting and retrieving flags in forbidden territories on land – avoiding capture by the authorities which would lead to the unfair punishment of their parents – while Pearl and sister Clover alternate between tending the family’s farm out at sea and mudlarking.

It is while trying to plant a flag that Nat witnesses two workers from the Uplands searching for something and after they leave, he rushes to investigate – showing what he finds to his friends, but hiding it at home from his scientist mother, Sora. Shortly afterwards Nat and Sora are sent to stay on the farm, so that she can study the way it works. Not knowing what else to do, Nat brings what he has found with him and – needing to find somewhere away from his mother’s watchful eye to keep it – has to decide whether or not it is a secret that he can trust the sisters with.

While Clover is delighted to have a friend at long last, after years of only having Pearl and her father’s company, and immediately takes to Nat, Pearl takes her fear and loathing of the land out on him and does her best to make him and Sora feel unwelcome. After an accident leaves the girls’ father in need of medical care while he is showing Sora around, she takes him to the onshore hospital, leaving the children to take care of themselves. As the three of them are drawn further and further into Nat’s secret, will they be able to keep it hidden from those who would take more than a passing interest in it, or will it lead not only them but their parents into terrible danger?

I’m sure I’ve said this before, but it always feels very unfair to me to compare an author’s books against one another, particularly when they are not related in some way, but with this book again being set in a dystopian society, I think it will be inevitable. That said, the two books are set in alternate worlds which are very different from one another and each has its own unique feel so that were it not for the author’s name and similar-style artwork on the front covers, you would not necessarily link the two.

Here, there is a subtle – but most definitely sinister – undercurrent running through the story. This relates to those who have created and are administering the laws which seem so very bizarre and unjust to us, the readers – particularly in the way that children are treated. While younger readers might not give this treatment a second thought, as an adult – and especially as a parent – I found a few parts of the story quite unsettling. With so many of our freedoms having been denied us over the past year, albeit for the common good, it is all too easy to imagine ourselves living in Nat or Pearl’s restricted shoes.

The two protagonists could not have had more different starts to life. Nat has a circle of friends with whom he attends school, in stark contrast to Pearl whose father has long since abandoned trying to home-educate her. While Nat and his friends do break some of the rules they live by, Pearl is almost wild in the way that she swims and dives off the family’s farm together with Clover. When Nat comes to stay, he could be visiting another planet as far as he is concerned and each of them has to change their way of seeing the world to accommodate the other. Through their sharing of the secret and mutual fondness for Clover, eventually each starts to bend a little towards the other until events come to a head and they are forced to decide whether to collaborate or to turn their backs on one another.

This is such a thought-provoking read. For most of us, the Covid pandemic has been our main focus over the past 12 months and – certainly in school – our care of the environment has sadly taken a backseat. With the rubbish that as a society we have generated in the form of lateral flow tests, masks and other PPE – for example – and some individuals seeing the temporary closure of recycling plants as an excuse for fly-tipping, at least here, I cannot feel that without action we are heading towards some sort of future as depicted here.

Fortunately, our young people are generally quite clued up on environmental issues and with the lockdown which has just passed hopefully being the last, I am confident that many of those who read this will take onboard its messages and do something to help to avert this crisis. As with Where the World Turns Wild, I would say that this book will appeal enormously to those in upper KS2/KS3 who are at the perfect age to nag their adults to be kinder to our planet and who in a few years will be able to put into practice all that we are hopefully teaching them in school and that they will learn here.

Huge thanks must go to both Net Galley and Little Tiger for my advance copy, read ahead of publication on July 8th. A perfect 5 out of 5 stars.