Published by Andersen Press, 2026.

I absolutely loved Anya and the Light Above the Ocean! I pretty much read it in a single weekend as I couldn’t put it down. It’s exciting and tense – a real page-turner! Lots of chapters end on a cliffhanger and I could totally imagine reading it aloud to a class.

I read a lot and I usually have books figured out pretty quickly but not this one! It had my mind whirring. Admittedly, sci-fi isn’t my usual genre, but I loved how this book sent me in all different directions as a reader and kept me on my toes as I tried to figure everything out. It’s got twists and turns and so many unexpected developments. I was really impressed by the storytelling. 

When her mum disappears, Anya sets out to find her in the middle of a storm. Taking a boat out to sea, she encounters a strange window of light hovering above the waves. Transfixed, she reaches out to touch it. She then wakes in her boat, the sea now eerily silent.

With her mum still missing, Anya is packed off to stay with an odd, unwelcoming couple. Trapped under their watchful gaze, she uncovers a shocking secret that changes everything she thought she knew. Anya must now battle to find the truth: about her mum, about the Light, and about herself.

Anya is a fantastic protagonist: quick-thinking, brave and loyal – just the kind of person you’d want as a friend and ally. The book itself is a heady mix of mystery, adventure and science fiction.

I don’t want to share too much about the plot and risk spoiling it for anyone so instead I’ll examine how the book explores the theme of self identity. It’s a big concept for anyone to grapple with, let alone incorporate into a children’s book, but it’s a fundamental aspect of Anya’s story and the plot leads us to fascinating philosophical considerations around individuality and what makes us who we are.

Anya and the Light Above the Ocean is brilliantly original and I urge you to read it.

Rating: 💙💙💙💙💙

Suitable for children aged 8+

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Thank you to Andersen Press for sending me this book to review. I reviewed it as part of the Anya and the Light Above the Ocean blog tour. Check out all the other posts on the tour for more exclusive content.