Astrid’s mother hides her away from the world in a rhubarb shed, until one day a stranger with wings comes to take her to the secret city in the skies above London. Astrid learns that she too will grow wings and, free to explore and make friends for the first time, she falls in love with the magical world overhead. But children have been going missing and Astrid realises her mother may have had good reason to hide her away.

The concept of sprouting wings and flying free, along with the emotional weight of Astrid discovering friendship and freedom for the first time, make this a joyful read. Starminster is a thrilling adventure with gorgeous, lyrical prose that makes it an excellent choice for strong readers who are ready to expand their vocabulary and as a high-quality text for upper KS2/KS3 classrooms.