The Hunt for the Nightingale

Discover the healing power of nature in one boy's heartbreaking and hopeful journey back from the wilderness.

Bird fact no. 30: a nightingale song is one of the most beautiful sounds on the planet. 

Ten-year-old Jasper has been waiting all spring for his beloved nightingale to return to his garden and sing.  But it's not there, and neither is his sister, Rosie.  His parents seem sad and preoccupied,  so gathering his courage, his backpack and his treasured Book of Birds, Jasper sets out alone on a walk to find them both.  The expedition takes Jasper through town and country, meeting a host of characters who are also searching for lost things. Helping his new friends, Jasper begins to see that he may not find what he is looking for when he reaches the journey's end, but even in the darkest of moments, a nightingale's song can be heard somewhere.

A love letter to the natural world, Sarah Ann Juckes' stunning middle grade novel, illustrated by the award-winning Sharon King-Chai will have you turning the last page with tears in your eyes and a heart full of hope.  For fans of Pax, Wonder and Wild Child.

About the Author

Sarah Ann Juckes writes books for young people. Her YA debut Outside (Penguin) was nominated for the Carnegie Medal Award 2020, shortlisted for Mslexia's Children's Novel Award, and longlisted for the Bath Novel Award. Her second YA novel, The World Between Us was published in March 2021, and The Hunt for the Nightingale is her first Middle Grade Novel. She works with writers from all over the world via Jericho Writers and is on the board for Creative Future - a charity supporting under-represented writers. You can often find her hibernating in her writing shed in East Sussex, with her cat. Sharon King-Chai is an award-winning designer & illustrator. Born in Australia, she moved to London in 2003 after completing an Honours degree in Visual Communication at University of Technology Sydney, and has been based in North London ever since. Sharon has worked on a wide range of projects including album artwork, branding and logos, product packaging, book covers and event identities. Recent work includes collaborations with Julia Donaldson on the stunning and award-winning Animalphabet and Counting Creatures, as well as her solo picture book Starbird, winner of the Kate Greenaway Shadower's Choice award 2021.