Books by Dr Helen Edwards
On Gallant Wings by Helen Edwards
On Gallant Wings will release on 2nd April with Riveted Press.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Thirteen-year-old Ava lives in Darwin with her family and their homing pigeons, of which Essie is Ava’s favourite. A Japanese family live next door and their son, Kazuo, is Ava’s best and only real friend. Her father is serving overseas.
It's available for order in my online shop
Via Riveted Press
Via online retailers
And via online bookshops here. You can also ask in your local bookshop for a pre-order and they will have it for you by the 2nd April.
Legend of the Lighouse Moon by Helen Edwards
Legend of the Lighthouse Moon was published on 2nd October with Riveted Press, distributed by Simon and Schuster.
Rich with folklore and brimming with adventure, Legend of the Lighthouse Moon is a captivating tale of family, resilience, and the enduring magic of the sea. Join Mona on a journey of self-discovery where the whispers of the past guide her towards a future filled with hope, love, and legends brought to life. This story was inspired by my grandmothers who were both born on islands in the Irish Sea, as well as the legends from those regions, the magic of lighthouses, the stunning kangaroo island, and my own experiences growing up with type 1 diabetes.
It’s the 1970s and on Kangaroo Island, Mona McKenna and her brother Albert live with their grandparents at Cape Willoughby Lighthouse. For five long years they have mourned their mother and longed for their missing father to return. Since being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes a year earlier, Mona has been increasingly acting in ways that make her hate herself. While she loves the rugged beauty of their isolated sanctuary—and dearly loves her grandparents—she yearns for her parents and finds her diabetes frightening and confusing. Mona finds solace in the treasures she collects along the island's shores. But when she encounters a mysterious sea lion pup, Neo, the world as she knows it is forever changed. The two siblings embark on a journey that leads them to uncover secrets hidden within their family's past. As they bond with Neo, Mona and Albert's quest for truth takes them deeper into the heart of Kangaroo Island. With the fate of their beloved lighthouse hanging in the balance, they must summon courage and resilience to protect their home and the endangered sea lions who call it their own.
It's available for order in my online shop
Via Riveted Press
Via online retailers
And in many bookshops here
You can also contact your local bookshop or library and ask them to order it for you!
"I truly loved this book. It is rich historical, magical-cum-adventure fiction set in 1970, with themes of folklore, sea lions, family secrets & lighthouses! What's not to love? Main character Mona & her brother live at a lighthouse with their grandparents and there, Mona uncovers a sea lion pup which leads her to uncover new worlds and changes her forever, setting her off on 'a quest for truth'. Also, Mona has type 1 diabetes and I love how Edwards made it just a normal part of who Mona is as a person, and it was never didactic. Diabetes doesn't get featured in many stories, along with lots of other medical conditions, so it is great to see it infused in this story, thanks to the author's lived experience.
Legend of the Lighthouse Moon will attract you from the get-go - the irresistible cover design, the engaging and intriguing blurb on the back cover, and the wonderful story inside. The scenery of the rugged lighthouse land and the beautiful beach coast plays a huge part in the book. It's incredibly atmospheric. The writing is vivid, full of imagery and offers up this unexplainable sense of magic. I wanted to 'Squee!' like I was eight years old, rugged up cosy in a blanket with the most amazing book I had ever read - Edwards creates this classic feel in the book, a book that transcends readers and ages and times. The book is perfect to bring you back to childhood reading pleasures, if you are an adult, and if you are a kid reading this story, you will be swept up and want to keep turning page after page. I really enjoyed this book, just as much as I enjoyed the author's first book, The Rebels of Mount Buffalo, also a historical novel with a time-slip element.
You won't regret buying a copy of Legend of the Lighthouse Moon - The book really is wonderful. It is an atmospheric, vibrant piece of middle grade fiction for readers 8-12, full of intrigue, mystery, love, treasure, adventure - all the best things in a story! - so wonderfully crafted by esteemed author Helen Edwards."
Brenton Cullen
The Rebels of Mount Buffalo by Helen Edwards
THE REBELS OF MOUNT BUFFALO, is out now with Riveted Press! It's a captivating time-slip tale in which a girl lost to grief meets a daring rebel on a misty mountain who guides her to rediscover her courage and find her way home.
Bringing in themes of early feminism and issues such as bullying, never being a bystander, managing grief and finding your courage, this engaging middle grade timeslip story draws on the true history of Mount Buffalo and the incredible role the Manfield family, and Guide Alice in particular, played in the preservation of the National Park and the development of tourism in the Mount Buffalo region.
It's available in my own shop here and is available in many bookshops and libraries across Australia. If you can't find it in your local bookshop or library, just ask them to get it in for you.
Here's the blub!
It's 1998 and Clara and her parents are staying at the Mount Buffalo Chalet for the national park centenary celebrations. It couldn't be more different from their last visit - they were a family of four then.
With her twin brother Darius gone, Clara has no reference point anymore, no guide. It's like being lost in the bush without a compass.
Without him, she doesn't really know who she is.
After a strange night, Clara wakes up in 1893. There she meets Alice, a girl who lives within the fern-filled valleys at the base of Mount Buffalo. To her surprise, Clara realises she is Guide Alice, considered a rebel of her time, an adventurous non-conformist who spent much of her life boldly leading people along the rugged trails between granite tors and misty mountain peaks.
The 1890s were a difficult era in Australia's history. The country is in the grip of a terrible Depression, and desperate people can be dangerous. When Alice's life is threatened, Clara must rediscover the courage she has always had, and become the girl she was always meant to be.
THE REBELS OF MOUNT BUFFALO TEACHING NOTES
Visit Mount Buffalo
The Visit Mount Buffalo website is a treasure trove of information to visiting Mount Buffalo. All the information you need to plan your trip to Mount Buffalo is included on the website. This includes history, maps, walking trails, activities, sightseeing, camping and weather information.
