Shortlisted for the 2018 Costa Book awards and longlisted for the 2019 Carnegie medal, it seems very likely that this will be an award-winning book this year. It has all the imagination, adventure, mystery and thoughtfulness you would expect if you enjoy reading David Almond's books.

The plot initially seems quite simple: a young boy, Davie, who father has recently died, is heading out for a walk, intending to explore the hillside above the small Tyneside town where he has lived all his life. He carries his father's old army haversack filled with some of his favourite childhood toys and some freshly-baked bara brith from his mother. Almost as soon as he leaves home, Davie is confronted by the body of an older boy, Jimmy Killen, whose family have been in a long-running feud with the Craigs. He decides to try to track down the prime murder suspect, Zorro Craig, who he believes could be hiding in the hills above the town.

Davie's fantasy about bring Zorro to justice initially seems to be intensified after he is assaulted by a gang of the Craigs when he dares to venture into their 'no-go' street. However, from very early on in the novel, Davie is also increasingly confused by the unusual sensitivity (e.g. the artistic skills and imagination) that various characters seem to show despite the apparent violence and deprivation of their everyday lives. During his journey, he encounters several local residents (of widely different ages) who between them 'nudge' him to reflect on and challenge his beliefs. It soon becomes clear that this is not just an expedition to explore his locality: Davie's day out allows him to reflect on what it means to be a young man in his community and to learn about more about his father and the way he led his life. Davie's journey and the developing story explores curiosity, expectations and what it means to be true to yourself in many different ways. By the time he comes back down the hill, it is evident that Davie is no longer a child and has formed his own way to live his life: nothing will ever be quite the same again.

This is a beautifully written story which tackles some mature themes and includes occasional adult language (although this is presented in context). It is advertised as being suitable for 11+ readers but, although the text is accessible for confident readers, the ideas in the book are very thought-provoking. Some of the characters are deliberately presented to make the reader confront their own prejudices and there are passages in the book where the descriptive details are almost poetic. Above all, though, the book is a story of hope and a celebration of life. The idea of colour in the novel is especially important and is used at various points to encourage the reader to see magic and beauty in unusual places. David Almond himself has described the book as embodying his 'constant astonishment at being alive in this beautiful, weird, extraordinary world.'

Thank you to those of you who I have seen reading this in school who encouraged me to read this book. It would be interesting to see what you think of it too...