'Girl of ink and stars' by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

If you like maps then you’re in for a treat with this book - Isabelle, the heroine, is the daughter of a map-maker (‘cartographer’ if we’re being posh) and so she knows how to draw them, using the stars as her guide. Not surprisingly then, this is an adventure story where maps play a big part. Set on Joya, an island that used to float freely in the ocean, myth also plays a big part. Maps and mythology - what a perfect combination!

Isabelle blames her best friend, Lupe, the governor's spoiled daughter, when one of their classmates goes missing. Lupe takes Isabelle’s harsh words to heart and goes into the Forgotten Territories in search of the missing girl. Isabelle then goes after Lupe, chopping her hair off and disguising herself as her dead twin brother in order to tag along with the cruel governor. But this is a dangerous world with deadly ‘Tibicenas’ (demon dogs) and the threat of the mythical fire demon. Can Isabelle find Lupe before the Tibicena do? Can she save the island from the fire demon, Yote (who might not be just ‘a bedtime story’ after all…)?

I found the story a little slow to start with but, if you like fast-paced adventure, it’s worth holding out because once it gets moving it really propels you forwards. It’s a beautiful book with inky illustration around the edges of the pages (this does risk being distracting at times) and - of course - maps!