Isabella dreams of exploring the lands her cartographer father once mapped, but she is forbidden to leave her island and the Governor has declared its Forgotten Territories off limits. When the Governor’s daughter goes missing, Isabella disguises herself so that she can join the search party and find her friend, but the island’s legends are awakening in the monster-filled wasteland and the island itself is in grave danger.

This lyrical book is steeped in mythology, magic and bravery and the characters are compelling. It has a good pace and the worldbuilding is rich and immersive with a magical feel. I’d recommend this for confident upper KS2 readers and it would be a great book for those who enjoy fantasy but don’t want to commit to a high word-count.