'A gorgeous book ... it's timeless and beautiful and it deserves to be read by people of all ages.' MELINA MARCHETTA

Shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards 2021

A CBCA Notable Book for Younger Readers 2021

Shortlisted for the Readings Children's Book Prize 2021

Longlisted for the ABIA Book of the Year Award for Young Children 2021

Longlisted for the Indie Book Awards 2021

One extraordinary year will change them all...

Sorrento, Victoria, 1999. Fred's family is a mess. Her mother died when she was six and she's been raised by her Pop and adoptive father, Luca, ever since. But now Pop's had to go away, and Luca's girlfriend Anika and her son have moved in. More and more it feels like a land-grab for family and Fred is the one being left off the map.

Even as things feel like they're spinning out of control for Fred, a crisis from the other side of the world comes crashing in. When a group of Kosovar-Albanian refugees are brought to a government 'safe haven' not far from Sorrento, their fate becomes intertwined with the lives of Fred and her family in ways that no one could have expected.

A middle-grade coming-of-age story inspired by true events about the bonds of family, the weight of grief and the power of compassion for fans of THE BONE SPARROW, WOLF HOLLOW and THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH.

'A brilliant gem that will make you see the world - and your place in it - in a new way.' EMILY GALE

'This timely and beautiful story reveals the invisible lines of kindness and empathy that connect us all.' SALLY RIPPIN