A captivating first novel from new writer Rebecca Lloyd, in which magic and imagination thrive among the mundane issues of a boy's everyday life. Danny Broadaxe is a young boy who looks after his disabled dad. When their neighbour, John Seeping, goes on holiday he asks Danny to feed his tropical fish. Little does Danny know that John's wife, Vaquita, whom everyone thought moved away years ago, is still living in the house - in the bath. Vaquita tells Danny that she is really a halfling creature - part human, part porpoise - and longs to return to her home in the sea. But will Danny believe her? And can they change each other's lives for ever?

 

There are 176 pages in this book. This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+). This book was published 2011 by Walker Books Ltd .

Rebecca Lloyd first started writing when working in Africa as a medical parasitologist. She now runs creative writing courses in Bristol and has had numerous short stories published, winning the inaugural Bristol Short Story Prize 2008 with her story, The River. Halfling is her first children's novel.