The Butterfly Heart

Paula Leydon

Synopsis:
Bul-Boo and Madillo are worried about their friend Winifred, who has lost her smile and no longer puts up her hand in class. Then the twins discover her horrible secret: she is to be married off to her uncle's friend, who drinks heavily and is old enough to be her grandfather. Though Winifred has become resigned to her fate, her friends are determined to put a stop to the marriage. But what can they do? They ask the advice of Ifwafwa, the snake man, who promises to think about the problem. Ifwafwa is wise and has a gift with snakes, but he does not like to hurry and Bul-Boo becomes impatient. Will he be too late to save their friend?

ISBN	978 1 4063 2792 2
Publisher	Walker Books
Date	n/a
Format	196x128mm, 208 pp, paperback
Price	£5.99

‘Childhood naivety and humour and the harshness of ancient folk customs are blended skilfully together in this superbly written atmospheric story.’ - The Irish Examiner

‘What an enjoyable read! The Butterfly Heart is beautifully written and the quirky characters are deftly drawn. Although a children’s book, it is hugely successful in the way it handles the serious issue of child marriage in Africa which lies at the very heart of the story. Having said this, its not an earnest book in any way, it’s really fun to read. The main characters, the twins, made me laugh out loud with their insightful and eccentric take on life.’ - Jean Flitcroft, author

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