Wales Book of the Year Focus – Where the River Takes Us

Published Fri 21 Jun 2024 - By Literature Wales

This blog is part of a series spotlighting the books shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year Award 2024.

This time, we shine a light on Where the River Takes Us by Lesley Parr, shortlisted for the Children & Young People Award.

Where the River Takes Us, Lesley Parr (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Jason lives with his big brother, Richie, trying their best to make ends meet so they can stay together. They’ve got supportive neighbours and some great friends, but there’s always the threat that someone will think they can’t manage on their own since their parents died. It’s February 1974 and working-class families have been hit hard by the three-day week. The reduced power usage means less work, and less money to get by on. Richie is doing his best, but to make enough money, he’s been doing favours for the wrong people. An urban legend about a beast in the valleys catches Jason’s eye in the local paper. A wild cat is said to roam the forest, far up the river from their bridge. A reward is offered for proof of The Beast’s existence. Jason’s friends are desperate to help him, and they convince him that this is the answer to his and Richie’s money problems. And so a quest begins. Four best friends soon find themselves on a journey that will change each of them…forever.

About the Author

Lesley Parr is the author of three novels for children. Her debut, The Valley of Lost Secrets (Bloomsbury), was published in 2021 and was both a Waterstones Book of the Month and longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal. It won the Tir na n-Og Award, the King’s School Chester Book Award and the North Somerset Teachers’ Book Award, as well as being shortlisted for many others. Lesley’s grew up in South Wales and now lives in England with her husband. She shares her time between writing stories, teaching at a primary school and tutoring adults. Apart from books, rugby union is her favourite thing in the world, especially if Wales is winning.