On episode two, we start the episode by meeting our bookseller Shelbi Pate and learning why she loves Sophie Anderson’s books. Then, Sophie Anderson joins the cast to share her newest middle grade novel! The Thief Who Sang Storms is a beautiful story on the power within, grief, and friendship with a little bit of magic and adventure thrown in there!
‘The Island of Morovia is shaped like a broken heart. The humans live on one side of the island, and the alkonosts – the bird-people – live on the other.
But it wasn’t always this way… Linnet wishes she could sing magic. But magic is forbidden and she has been banished with her father to the Mournful Swamp.
She misses her old life, and dreams of reuniting with her friends. When her father is captured for taking a precious jewel, Linnet must set out on a treacherous journey. Travelling through alligator pools and sinking sands with new friends, she learns how to be brave, and discovers something even more powerful than singing magic.
Something that could save her father, and heal the broken heart of her island once more… With themes of grief, trust, love, and that we have more in common than that which divides us, this is a heartfelt book filled with adventure and stunning storytelling from bestselling Sophie Anderson.’
Last time, we delved into Korean folklore with Axie Oh’s ‘The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea.’ Now, we take a look at slavic folklore. Sophie gives listeners wonderful insight into baba yaga’s, houses with chicken legs, and her newest folklore addition, Alkonosts! Learn how the stories of her childhood have shaped her writing into the beautiful books we know and love!
Learn more about Sophie and her writing here! Interested in The House with Chicken Legs play? Find out more at their website.
Find all of Sophie’s books and recommendations, as well as Shelbi’s recommendations, here.
Thank you to bookseller Shelbi for her wonderful insights and recommendations, to the Bookshop Band for our lovely music, to our sound engineer Seb Jensen, and of course to Sophie Anderson for joining into the podcast!
Stay tuned for the next episode when we are joined by Michelle Paver to celebrate the final final book in the Wolf Brother series