In this ambitious quartet of novels for older children the award-winning author Peter Dickinson takes us back two hundred thousand years to witness the birth of the human race in Africa. The Kins are the first modern human beings and this epic tale starts with their forced exodus from their traditional homelands. Dickinson introduces us to Suth, Noli, Ko and Mana, all children of the Moonhawk Kin. As they roam the vast plains and valleys in search of new "Good Places"" where they can peacefully live, so the children confront natural disaster, cruel hardships and brutal enemies, as well as their own developing hopes and fears. Dickinson intersperses his narrative with a series of magical interludes that are the mythical stories the Kin have made up to explain their world to themselves. But it is when the children take centre stage that these stories really come alive. Whether they are eating roasted leg of fox, travelling through the unknowable wilderness or exhibiting acts of essential human kindness in an entirely believable ancient landscape, once again Dickinson's cast of characters is capable of grabbing the reader's imagination and tweaking the heartstrings. -- Nick Wroe "

 

This book was recognised by the Carnegie Award. The CILIP Carnegie Medal is awarded by childrens librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people.

This book is part of a book series called Kin .

There are 640 pages in this book. This book was published 1998 by Pan Macmillan .

Peter Dickinson is the author of over fifty books for both children and adults. He was one of three British writers nominated for the position of the first Children's Laureate and he has won nearly every major literary award for his children's novels. Russell Hoban was born in Pennsylvania. His books for adults include the modern classic Riddley Walker. He has written more than sixty picture books, including The Sea-thing Child, shortlisted for the 2000 Kate Greenaway Award, as well as the novel The Mouse and His Child. Ian Andrew has worked on numerous animated films, including Father Christmas and his own film, Dolphins, which won the First Bite Award in 1987. His book The Lion and the Mouse was shortlisted for the 1996 Mother Goose Award, and he has also illustrated the Walker picture book The Midnight Man, written by Berlie Doherty.