A selection of fiction books with empowering girl characters on a light blue background with orange squiggles and doodles

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Children's reading lists

12 books packed with girl power

A picture of several piarate-themed books on a green background with light blue squiggles

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9 books for fans of pirate stories

The Ship of Shadows: Secrets of the Stars

PREPARE FOR PUZZLES, PERIL, AND PLENTY OF CAKE IN THE SECOND THRILLING ADVENTURE FOR ALEJA AND THE CREW OF THE LEGENDARY SHIP OF SHADOWS 
 
Aleja and her fellow pirates are eager to embark on a new adventure to find the second piece of the missing magical map. But they soon find themselves panicking, bewildered by a series of confusing clues. And time is running out - fast. 
 
When she starts experiencing strange visions, Aleja realizes that someone is trying to tell her something. But can this new knowledge be trusted? And what will it cost her to find out? 
 
With the crew's loyalties tested and more secrets to unlock than ever, Aleja must find a way to beat the clock and prove herself truly worthy of her place on the ship's crew . . . 
 
Praise for The Ship of Shadows: 
 
"A sumptuous delight of a book" - Sophie Kirtley, author of The Wild Way Home 
 
"A feast for the imagination . . . an enthralling adventure." - Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song 
 
"This swashbuckling tale has it all . . . I loved it." - Alex Bell, author of The Polar Bear Explorers' Club 
 
READERS CAN'T WAIT FOR SECRETS OF THE STARS: 
 
"With a strong protagonist and a likeable crew of characters, I couldn't stay away from the story for long, and now I CRAVE a follow-up." Gavin Hetherington, waterstones.com 
 
"Thrilling, exciting and intriguing and I can't wait for the next instalment!" Rhiannon, waterstones.com 
 
"What a fantastic spellbinding book . . . A truly fascinating tale and we cannot wait for the second book to be released!" Eva Sneep, amazon.co.uk 
 
"Ship of Shadows was a fantastic book . . . I just loved everything that happened and it ended in such a way where you need the sequel asap." Emma Thompson, waterstones.com 
 
"The real treasure in this gem of a book lies in the crew . . . I can't wait to join the crew again for the next instalment of this thrilling tale." Stephanie, amazon.co.uk 
 
"I highly recommend diving into this novel. It's highly likely that you won't be able to wait for the next instalment." Tracy Curran, waterstones.com

I loved The Ship of Shadows so was waiting eagerly to escape into this beautiful world again. Once again, Maria weaves a tale of puzzle and suspense in this swashbuckling adventure of a merry band of pirate queens. One to enjoy with a bit of cake on the side.

Maria Kuzniar spent six years living in Spain, teaching English and travelling the world, which inspired her debut novel The Ship of Shadows. Now she lives in Nottingham with her husband, where she reads and writes as much as she can and bookstagrams at @cosyreads. She is always planning her next adventure and you can visit her at https://www.mariakuzniar.co.uk/ (watch out for the pirates!).

Aleja and her fellow pirates are eager to embark on a new adventure to find the second piece of the missing magical map. But they soon find themselves panicking, bewildered by a series of confusing clues. And time is running out - fast. 
 
When she starts experiencing strange visions, Aleja realizes that someone is trying to tell her something. But can this new knowledge be trusted? And what will it cost her to find out? 
 
With the crew's loyalties tested and more secrets to unlock than ever, Aleja must find a way to beat the clock and prove herself truly worthy of her place on the ship's crew . . .

The Ship of Shadows

The sweeping, sparkling first book in a brand new series that will delight fans of The Wild Way Home and Frostheart. 
 
"A sumptuous delight of a book" - Sophie Kirtley, author of The Wild Way Home 
 
 
"A feast for the imagination . . . an enthralling adventure." - Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song 
 
"This swashbuckling tale has it all . . . I loved it." - Alex Bell, author of The Polar Bear Explorers' Club 
 
READERS LOVE THE SHIP OF SHADOWS: 
 
"With a strong protagonist and a likeable crew of characters, I couldn't stay away from the story for long, and now I CRAVE a follow-up." Gavin Hetherington, waterstones.com 
 
"Just order it . . . it's wonderful." Akshaykumar, amazon.in 
 
"Thrilling, exciting and intriguing and I can't wait for the next instalment!" Rhiannon, waterstones.com 
 
"What a fantastic spellbinding book . . . A truly fascinating tale and we cannot wait for the second book to be released!" Eva Sneep, amazon.co.uk 
 
"The real treasure in this gem of a book lies in the crew . . . I can't wait to join the crew again for the next instalment of this thrilling tale." Stephanie, amazon.co.uk 
 
"This book sparkles! Complete gorgeous escapism." Nicola Penfold, amazon.co.uk 
 
Aleja is a dreamer who longs for a life of magic and adventure. So when a mysterious ship arrives in her Spanish harbour city, crewed by a band of ruthless women, Aleja knows it's sailed right out of a legend. 
 
And it wants her. 
 
But life aboard the Ship of Shadows is more than even she bargained for. It will take all of Aleja's strength and skill to gain the trust of her fellow pirates - and discover what they are risking everything to find . . .

A feast for the imagination . . . an enthralling adventure.

This swashbuckling tale has it all - storms in jars, magic kraken bells, lost cities and a truly unique pirate ship. I loved it.

Alex Bell, author of The Polar Bear Explorers' Club

You'll feel like you've travelled the world with Maria Kuzniar's immersive writing and engaging characters. . . Thrilling, exciting and intriguing and I can't wait for the next instalment!

Vibrant, fast-paced and full of exciting ideas. Looking forward to the next adventure.

An excellent adventure that is sure to steal the hearts of many young readers. The cover is just as lovely as the story inside.

This incredible adventure has everything! A crew of fierce female pirates, treasure to be found, magic and a journey to a lost city. Myths, legends, hopes, dreams, family and friendship and finally feeling as though you belong. I want to belong to the family on The Ship of Shadows.

I loved every moment of it and already can't wait for the next in the series.

I loved getting to know the characters in the book as they travel land and sea on their adventures. It is brilliantly written by Maria Kuzniar. This is a book for everyone who has dreams and is determined to follow them.

Aleja whiles away her days in her family's dusty tavern in Seville, dreaming of distant lands and believing in the kind of magic that she's only ever read about in books. After all, she's always being told that girls can't be explorers. 
 
But her life is changed forever when adventure comes for her in the form of a fabled vessel called the Ship of Shadows. Crewed by a band of ruthless women, with cabin walls dripping with secrets, the ship has sailed right out of a legend. And it wants Aleja. 
 
Once on board its shadowy deck, she begins to realize that the sea holds more secrets than she ever could have imagined. The crew are desperately seeking something, and their path will take them through treacherous waters and force them to confront nightmare creatures and pitch-dark magic. It will take all of Aleja's strength and courage to gain the trust of her fellow pirates - and discover what they are risking everything to find.

Maria Kuzniar

From the acclaimed writer of Ship of Shadows comes a brand-new fantasy following the magical journey of one girl and her bear. 
 
In a land of ice and stars, where constant troll invasions threaten to shake the moon from the sky, lives a girl with a magical destiny. A girl braver than a Viking, who will one day hold the fate of the North in her hands. That girl is Saga Thorolfsdottir. 
 
But there's just one problem: ever since her parents died wielding powerful runes, Saga has been deathly afraid of magic. She would much rather stay within the safety of her village and play with her pet bear, Bjørn, than pursue any kind of magical destiny. 
 
So when Saga accidentally disturbs a clan of trolls in the mountains, leading to her whole village being taken prisoner, she has to face her fears head on. No amount of rune magic will defeat these monsters, and Saga has only one option - to compete in the Fifth Winter contest, an incredible tournament where only the bravest may enter and only one champion can win. The prize? A horn of magic, powerful enough to rattle the gods themselves . . . 
 
This is the perfect read for fans of Sophie Anderson's The Girl Who Speaks Bear, Abi Elphinstone and Fireborn!

Maria Kuzniar

Books by Maria Kuzniar

Articles featuring Maria Kuzniar

12 books packed with girl power

9 books for fans of pirate stories

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