A review by zoe_d_marriott
The Sky Beneath the Stone by Alex Mullarky

5.0

The Sky Beneath the Stone is a beautifully written, fast-paced (but substantial!) fantasy adventure for children aged 8-12. Confidently and playfully written - especially for a debut - and touching commendably sensitively on themes of children's mental illness, as well as offering nuanced portrayals of diverse characters, the book is alive with lush descriptions of the natural world, well-realised relationships between characters, and intricately woven folkloric elements. But this novel's beating heart is a deep love for family and longing for home, manifested in the protagonist, Ivy, who both longs for and fears adventure under the wide blue sky. Will be perfect for readers who've enjoyed classics like The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper, but will also appeal to readers of more recent children's maintstays like The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson or The Land of Roar by Jenny McLachlan.