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The Spick and the Span

Pil Van Martin

HarperCollins Children's Books (9+) 9780008724788 (Paperback)

Reading resources coming soon

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Immersive world building and parallels between magic and AI drive this richly packed novel where the cleaners are left trying to sort the chaotic mess left by magicians. Ward is part of the Spick and Span crew, a cleaning agency of magically resistant children striving to be the best of the best. A multi-strand plot gives richness and complexity and allows exploration of contemporary issues in this furiously paced fantasy.

Themes:

  • Humour 
  • Fantasy 
  • Discrimination 
  • Poverty 
  • Friendship 
  • Subversive 
  • Social justice



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Your artwork will be submitted to your Group Leader for approval before it is published on the Carnegie website. It will be published with your first name and the name of your shadowing group on a public webpage.

Pil Van Martin

Pil Van Martin is an author and illustrator working in London. Their alter-ego works as a bookseller in Hackney.

Shadowers' reviews and artwork