What would happen if words disappeared forever?
Set in a whimsical town called Inkwell, a place with an ancient secret history, this fairytale-like adventure will uncover the key to the power hidden within words.
The Word-Keeper is a tale about a savvy bookmark named Ben that unwillingly becomes an evil imp with only one objective: follow the orders of his master and destroy the words that live inside books.
Only one girl can stop him. Her name is Florence Ibbot. She is eleven years old, oddly eloquent and a quiet observer of the world. But above all, Florence is a keen logophile and is willing to sacrifice everything to protect the words.
She sets out to discover who is behind all this. The journey will take her to the origins of writing and inspiration. But she’ll also have to face the most treacherous adversary, Zyler, a ruthless sorceress whose sole mission is to ruin one of humankind’s most precious possessions: the gift of language.
As the final battle approaches, Florence will have to learn how to wield words instead of the sword. Is Florence brave enough to become who she was born to be?
Industry Reviews
'A clever and magical story about the importance of words and language. This is a beautiful book aimed at the middle grade reader, and an impressive debut by author Veronica Del Valle. While the story may be simple, it is well told and I admire the decision to include more challenging vocabulary than is found in many books aimed at this age group. Not only does it fit the story being told and the characters, it will also challenge the younger reader. Florence is a great character; strong, determined and unwilling to be bullied. I also really liked many of the supporting characters.' - Annette Jordan, NetGalley and GoodReads reviewer.; 'Thank you so much for this amazing fantasy children's book (for middle grade students)! It is literature at its best: a fabulous and original plot (words are disappearing because of an evil genie). It is the modern-day quest of a young girl eager to save words and books - it is also the story of weird and adorable characters (her parents are mostly interested in maths and leave her to be while they are working, going to meetings, her granddad lives in Inkwell, a magical place where a nice genie, used to help writers be inspired...). It is also a story in which everything is whimsical (the town of Inkwell, its characters, its street names, etc). A tale of bravery, of the love of words and of their importance in our daily lives. A great read for kids and their parents alike! For one, I adored it!' - Marie-Helene Fasquel, NetGalley; "This is a quirky but powerful first novel from Veronica Del Valle. This tells the journey of Florence and her annual trip to Inkwell. However this year holds something more. Elements of it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland: a young female protagonist set in faraway lands. That said, it has its own sparkle of originality. This is a great read for young and older readers, especially for lovers of the chosen one trope. I liked the simple but bright cover and etched illustrations inside. I wish there were more. It comes with a lot of wise insights built into the tale, the biggest being the power of words and was executed well. I give this 4*." - Charlotte Crow, NetGalley
