Back to the Bright Before
Published on 30. May 2023
Book
Hardback
208 pages
978-0-593-56511-7 (ISBN)
Description
A magical adventure about two brave siblings determined to find a treasure that could save their family.
When eleven-year-old Pet Martin's dad falls from a ladder on their family farm, it isn't just his body that crashes to the ground. So does every hope her family had for the future. Money is scarce, and Pet's mom is bone-tired from waiting tables at the local diner, and even with the extra hours, it's not enough for a third surgery for Pet's dad. Her five-year-old brother, Simon, now refuses to say anything except the word "cheese." Worst of all? The ladder accident was Pet's fault.
She's determined to fix things-but how? Good old-fashioned grit...and maybe a little bit of magic.
When a neighbor recites a poem about an ancient coin hidden somewhere on the grounds of the local abbey, Pet forms a plan. With her brother, a borrowed chicken, and a stolen pony, Pet runs away from home. If she can find the coin, Daddy can have his surgery, Momma can stop her constant working, and Simon might speak again. But Pet isn't the only one who wants the coin...which means searching for it is more dangerous than she ever imagined.
This dazzling debut novel filled with magic, family, and adventure is sure to be an instant classic.
When eleven-year-old Pet Martin's dad falls from a ladder on their family farm, it isn't just his body that crashes to the ground. So does every hope her family had for the future. Money is scarce, and Pet's mom is bone-tired from waiting tables at the local diner, and even with the extra hours, it's not enough for a third surgery for Pet's dad. Her five-year-old brother, Simon, now refuses to say anything except the word "cheese." Worst of all? The ladder accident was Pet's fault.
She's determined to fix things-but how? Good old-fashioned grit...and maybe a little bit of magic.
When a neighbor recites a poem about an ancient coin hidden somewhere on the grounds of the local abbey, Pet forms a plan. With her brother, a borrowed chicken, and a stolen pony, Pet runs away from home. If she can find the coin, Daddy can have his surgery, Momma can stop her constant working, and Simon might speak again. But Pet isn't the only one who wants the coin...which means searching for it is more dangerous than she ever imagined.
This dazzling debut novel filled with magic, family, and adventure is sure to be an instant classic.
Reviews / Votes
"Like Oz or Narnia, the landscape will enchant readers looking for an eventful adventure." -Booklist"A diverting, warmhearted, unusual fantasy." -Kirkus Reviews
"Sweetly mystical." -Publishers Weekly
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Random House USA Inc
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: From Third Grade to Seventh Grade, Interest Age: From 8 to 12 years
Product notice
Library binding
Dimensions
Height: 217 mm
Width: 144 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
301 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-593-56511-7 (9780593565117)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Katherin Nolte
Back to the Bright Before
E-Book
05/2023
Random House Books for Young Readers
€8.49
Available for download
Persons
Katherin Nolte received an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where she was a Truman Capote Fellow. Her fiction has appeared in dozens of publications and won multiple awards, but it was a late-night ER visit with her four children that inspired her to write Back to the Bright Before. An Ohio native, she currently lives with her family in Iowa.