Why I Went Back
Binding: Paperback
Imprint: Andersen Press
Age 12+
Family Break-Up Fantasy & Magical Realism Family & Home Stories, Personal & Social Issues: Divorce, Separation
Nominated for the Carnegie Medal.
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award.
Aidan needs his bike to deliver all the mail his postman dad’s been hoarding since his mum was sectioned. But his bike’s just been stolen.
In the early morning, Aidan chases after the thieves, hellbent on getting it back. When he reaches the abandoned factory where they’ve stashed his bike, he has moments to grab it and escape. But he finds more than just stolen goods. There’s a mysterious prisoner chained to the floor.
This is the story of why Aidan goes back.
Recalling Alan Garner and Susan Cooper, Why I Went Back is a dark tale of magic, myth and undelivered mail.
Creators
James Clammer was born in Bristol and grew up in East Anglia. He has worked at many kinds of job and travelled in Central America and Asia. He now lives in Sussex, where he writes in a shed at the bottom of a cliff.
Reviews
Extraordinary… tense, magical thriller
Amanda Craig
From the first page, this novel pulls readers in and refuses to let go.
BookTrust
A stark but humane look at the pressures that teenagers find themselves under when their homes fall apart – with fantasy elements creeping in the sides… Highly recommended for adventurous readers.
Inis, Children's Books Ireland
A sinister story, full of magic and suspense
Carousel
Gripping… A must read for all lovers of slightly fantastical urban fiction.
Jonas Herriot, librarian and chair, London's Youth Libraries Group
Authentic and complex… Why I Went Back has fragments of fantasy and reality collide to bring this original tale of hope and freedom.
Blog of a Bookaholic
A fantastic debut… I cannot recommend Why I Went Back enough.
Not Now, Adulthood blog
An extremely enjoyable story
NATE
