Finn lives in a small fishing village and he loves his simple, rough-and-tumble life: listening to the gulls, savouring the salty smells of the market and setting fishing lines in the early morning. But when he befriends the Finer family, outsiders in an otherwise close-knit community, the bonds of friendship and familial loyalty are tested. This thoughtfully written, fast-paced novel has a powerful sense of place and of the ways in which friendships and loyalties are forged. The atmospheric illustrations include maps of Finn's village, which is based on the author's childhood home in Spurn Point, at the mouth of the River Humber in Yorkshire, England. AGES: 9-12 years AUTHOR: Richard Knight has been an elementary school teacher for over twenty years and now lives with his family in the Pennines Mountains in northern England. When he s not writing, and sometimes when he should be, he enjoys hill-walking and daydreaming. Richard has also written Winter Shadow for Barefoot Books. Giovanni Manna is an award-winning artist who works mainly with watercolours, soft pastels and etching to create his distinctive style.

Giovanni lives with his family in Bologna, Italy, and teaches illustration and watercolour technique at the International School of Illustration in Sarmede, Italy. Giovanni has illustrated several titles for Barefoot Books including The Barefoot Book of Knights and The Barefoot Book of Giants, Ghosts and Goblins. SELLING POINTS: *Latest in the Confident Readers collection, joining Winter Shadow and The Twelve Dancing Princesses. *Exciting tale of friendship, bravery and the importance of standing up for those you love. *Fast-paced text captures the emotion and drama of life in a fishing village from a young boy's perspective. *Heart-warming coming-of-age tale brought to life by Giovanni Manna's muted watercolours. ILLUSTRATIONS: Colour.