The Lantern Moon

Life is not easy for children in 1811. Annie Spears is a maid at Dinham house where Lucien Bonaparte is on parole. Her brother, William, makes silk top-hats for the mad hatter, while her little sister works as a glove-maker for the despicable Leonard Evans. They have not heard from their father since he was transported to Australia years ago.

When a fire destroys the Spears home and William and Annie are accused of theft, they take to the hills with Sam, the chimney sweep, trying to make their way to the sea. But great danger and deceptions lie ahead…

PRAISE FOR THE LANTERN MOON

‘Maeve Friel is one of the most important Irish children’s novelists to emerge in the 1990s and The Lantern Moon is among her finest achievements. It successfully combines character, action and atmosphere …This reprint is most welcome.’
Celia Keenan, director of the MA in Children's Literature at St Patrick's College, Dublin
 

‘Maeve Friel’s children’s novels are written with style … The Lantern Moon is one of her very best titles, vigorously bringing history and its cast of credible characters and incidents assuredly to life.’
Robert Dunbar, commentator on children’s books and reading

'I thought that Lantern Moon was really cool; it brought you back in time, to another world entirely. It was always easy to relate to the characters though, and even after I put it down for the night I was still thinking about what was going to happen next. It was really well written and sometimes it was almost as if you were there.'
Bríd, age 14, Co. Leitrim

Winner of a Bisto Merit award