Stitch
Binding: Paperback
Imprint: Walker Books
Age 9+
Adventure Stories Science Fiction General Fiction
A compelling, atmospheric and gothic Frankenstein-inspired adventure by an award-winning Irish author.
"A thrilling gothic adventure, brimming with heart and bursting with big questions. I loved it." Lucy Strange
Stitch is not a monster – he’s a creation.
He and his friend Henry Oaf were brought to life by the genius Professor Hardacre, and have spent all their days in a castle deep in the woods, far from humankind. But when the Professor dies and his pompous nephew comes to take over the laboratory, they soon find out that his sights are set not on scientific discovery, but personal glory. And Henry is his next experiment.
Can Stitch and Henry escape his clutches and make their way in a world they were never built for – and may never be ready for them?
A magnificent gothic adventure full of heart for age 8+
Resources
Creators
Pádraig Kenny is an Irish writer from County Kildare, now living in Limerick. Previously an arts journalist, a teacher and a librarian's assistant, he now writes full-time. His first novel Tin and recent The Monsters of Rookhaven were both Waterstones Books of the Month. He has won the Children's Books Ireland Honour Award for Fiction, been nominated for the Carnegie Medal and been shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards. This is his first book for Walker.
Steve McCarthy is an Irish designer and illustrator. Steve’s first picture book, The Wilderness, won the Honour Award for Illustration at the Children’s Books Ireland Awards. His poetry anthology with Sarah Webb, A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea, was the 2017 Children’s Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.
Reviews
A rare gothic novel for readers aged 9-13.
Trevor Cairney
Stitch is a remarkable story that combines adventure, emotional depth, and moral questions in a seamless narrative. Entwining the true power of friendship, acceptance and living without bias, this is certainly a memorable and impactful read for all.
ReadPlus
Stitch’s adventure teaches us to learn to accept people and see the good in them. And of course, it’s just a fun story as well.
Ashleigh Meikle
The cover states ‘for readers aged 8-11’, but I contend that this little gem of a book will appeal to a wider age-group. Teachers and teenagers studying the origin story, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, take note!
Magpies
Pádraig has crafted a unique and exciting spin on the classic Frankenstein tale. Through clever writing and interesting twists, the book highlights the humanity of such creations like Frankstein, Stitch, and Henry Oaf. McCarthy’s illustrations capture the gothic world of Pádraig’s writing sublimely. The descriptions are well-written and the characters are fascinating, and the illustrations add an extra layer that feels straight out of a Tim Burton movie.
Better Reading
