WINNER OF THE 2020 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION - THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER 2021 'Richly sensuous... something special' The Sunday Times 'A thing of shimmering wonder' David Mitchell
TWO EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE. A LOVE THAT DRAWS THEM TOGETHER. A LOSS THAT THREATENS TO TEAR THEM APART.
On a summer's day in 1596, a young girl in Stratford-upon-Avon takes to her bed with a sudden fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches everywhere for help. Why is nobody at home?
Their mother, Agnes, is over a mile away, in the garden where she grows medicinal herbs. Their father is working in London.
The SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER from the author of STILL LIFE
'Thronging with incident and wonder' Guardian 'Beautifully true . . . superb' The Times 'Captivating' Observer 'Beguiling . . . You can't get the voice out of your head' Daily Mail
This is a book about a brother and sister.
It's a book about childhood and growing up, friendships and families, triumph and tragedy and everything in between.
More than anything, it's a book about love in all its forms.
Discover the emotional, funny, unforgettable BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick, Amazon Best Book of 2025 and New York Times bestselling word-of-mouth sensation that thousands of readers are calling their favourite book of the year...
Over 30,000 five star reviews on Goodreads!
'THIS NOVEL IS A CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION' Ann Patchett
'I WAS DELIGHTED AND MOVED . . . MASTERFUL' New York Times
'I CAN'T PRAISE IT ENOUGH. AN ABSOLUTE TRIUMPH' Clare Chambers
'THIS NOVEL IS A COMPLETE AND UTTER JOY' Ann Napolitano
'I DON'T HAVE ANY WORDS. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL STORY' Reader review
What the Moon Said is historical fiction for readers 8-12, set in the early days of the Great Depression. It follows 11 year-old Esther as she navigates the change from life in Chicago, to life on a ramshackle farm in Wisconsin, when her father loses his job. She is happily surprised to find many things to love in her new life, but her immigrant mother leans into her Old World superstitions making Esther's days increasingly challenging. Bad enough to be scolded for spilling salt, or bringing an open umbrella into the house, but one day Ma sees a sign that says Esther must cut off all ties with her best friend because she is "dangerous". This can't possibly be right! For the first time Esther begins to question Ma's beliefs--and her own. An award-winning novel from Putnam/Penguin in 2014; now available for the first time in paperback.
