- Written by Abi Elphinstone
- Published by Simon & Schuster
Thrilling. I loved it – Katherine Rundell
Happy book publication to Goodnight Silver and Abi Elphinstone – the incredibly talented author behind this beautiful addition to the world of children’s literature. I never get tired of saying it and thus I shall seize this opportunity to do so once more, Abi Elphinstone’s natural gift for writing the most magical chapter books, and of course her picture books too, is exactly the reason she is so incredibly popular with children of all ages and my favourite children’s book author. When I was primary school age, all those years ago now, I fell in love with the world created by Arthur Ransome in his Swallows and Amazons series, and I know I would have been thrilled to have access to any number of the books written by Abi Elphinstone back then, but alas the magical worlds she has created are the priceless gift she affords this generation of young readers. With adventure, friendships, problem solving, and nature at the core of this book I can see how this will prove to be yet another favourite with primary and secondary school readers, and I highly recommend getting multiple copies of this book for your school libraries to all you school librarians, literacy leads and reading advocates, as well as those of you looking to add the best literature to your classroom libraries too. It goes without saying that this would be the perfect pick for gifting to children – especially with its wintery theme and Christmas just around the corner, and if you would like to get a special copy that is both signed and dedicated by Abi for your little bookworms you can do just that through Night Owl Books right here.
When a blizzard seperates Emmy from her parents, she takes refuge in a mountain cave and discovers a snow leopard cub who’s even more lost than she is. Together, they embark on a perilous journey to find Winterspell, a magical land where wild animals live in peace. But with hunters closing in, can they outrun danger and reach it in time?
Firstly, where it comes to this book if we go through in a chronilogical sense, how stunning is the cover design of this book, which is a work of art by Olivia Lomenech Gill – the talent behind the illustrative content of the new edition of J. K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and winner of the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Illustration with Clever Crow to name but a few of her titles, and trust me when I say her illustrative content for Goodnight Silver is breathtakingly beautiful in both detail and design, as indicated by the gorgeous front cover. Just look at the detail in the leopcard cub’s eyes alone and the emotion and character of that beautiful little cub those eyes portray. Wow!
When we initially meet Emmy, the book’s protagonist, it isn’t long before we pick up on there being a traumatic experience in her past that explains her behaviour and mannerisms, especially with her being quite nervous, seeking the companionship of her parents often and her persistent pessimism being all too apparent. As they arrive in the middle of beautiful Mongolian wilderness she takes in all vast landscape has to offer as the plane they are flying in takes them on the final stretch, where an unforgetable camping experience awaits them – something they were lucky enough to win in a competition – and when Emmy is asked to gather wood for a fire she begins to do just that.
Her intentions were to not venture too far away, but that didn’t go according to plan, with snowfall impacting her spacial awareness, and when a sentimental item she cherishes nearly gets lost forever she is hell bent on reuniting with it, which further impacts her time away from the campsite, and it dawns on her she is in fact lost. Seeking shelter from the bitter cold and challenging weather conditions she finds herself in a cave, and quickly realises she is not alone. When her reality is that she is in the same place at the same time as a gorgeous little timid snow cub and not some big ferocious creature her relief is very palpable to the reader. Emmy’s circumstances echo those of the cub, who she names Silver, for they are both lost and longing to reunite with their parents. Emmy sets about looking to achieve this, and the pair become quite the brave duo as a result.
Readers learn what has befallen Emmy and her family prior to them winning this once in a lifetime travel experience, and her mum losing a baby has impacted the entire family in different ways, but seeing how Emmy has to find a way to find peace with this once and for all makes for powerful content. Nature and all she offers gives Emmy the space and welcomed distraction in the form of Silver as she tries, and I think it is crucial for Emmy that shes given a voice in respect to Silver’s wellbeing, and that she is not afraid to use it either. This will resonate with readers who have personal experience of similar, and this topic being present in a book can help encourage the right kind of conversations to take place around a subject that is often taboo with children; yet they should not be overlooked where impact is concerned, and those with no direct experience of losing a baby sibling before being given the chance to form a relationship and bond with them will come away with both understanding and compassion – all of which is utterly priceless. We can appreciate why Emmy is so reluctant to have hope in anything as a result, but that gradually changes as her and Silver embark on their journey to find their respective families, and seeing this growth in Emmy adds to the heartwarming and magical content this book has to offer readers.
When Emmy has a chance encounter with Tuli, a boy of similar age to her and native to the area, and he helps her to rescue Silver from a hunter’s trap, she knows he is the trustworthy companion she has been needing, and with his optimistic outlook on life (he plans to be a poet when older!) he is the ying to her yang, nipping away at her dramatic stance on things little by little, and the two children unite in protecting Silver from the hunters that are too close for comfort. Along with his epicly name horse – Genghis Khan – Tuli takes his new companion along with him to check in with his grandma – and when the little old lady senses Silver’s presence she vows to protect him all costs, and whilst she keeps her secrets she helps guide the children on where to find Silver’s family – Whisperfell – before sending them on their way with provisions to assist them. It is apparent at this stage that Emmy was destined to find Silver in that cave, perhaps it was divine intervention providing her and the cub with what they both needed in that moment – companionship and thus the comfort that comes with it – and what better way to show Emmy the endless potential the world has to offer her then to set her on a path that is surrounded by the beauty nature has to offer as she travels ever further away from her parents with only Whisperfell on her mind.
What a name by the way, for a magical place that is home to magical creatures and its location known to only those few that are deemed trustworthy enough, with the purest of intent in their hearts, Whisperfell. The name conjures imagery of untainted majestic beauty, where anything could dwell, and all of which is possible, and that is very true as Emmy and Tuli find out, which readers will love. It is this undeniable endless possibility for whether Emmy and Tuli are enough to evade the hunters and keep Silver safe, along with the unwaivering determination of the pair, that has Emmy questioning her once unbreakable pessimism. With each challenge that the pair overcome you can see the growth in Emmy, especially where her self confidence and self worth come into it. She is used to enduring, but the harsh weather of the mongolian terrain she is trekking is unlike anything she has experienced, and thinking on her feet is an absolute must in order to survive. Her bond with Silver is unbreakable, and has been since she first laid eyes on the little cub, and she will stop at nothing to protect this incredibly rare animal, putting her needs last.
Tuli snorted. ‘Poets are unsure about lots of things but magic is never up for debate’.
He looked over his shoulder at the map again.
‘I think the words are some kind of clue to find the magical land’.
Tuli makes for the most perfect side kick of a character to accompany Emmy in this adventure. He longs to be a poet and has a fantastic vibe about him as a result, not least because of his reassuring side he has, which is much needed when trekking to a magical place known to few, as they escort the rarest of animals home where they belong, and all whilst having hunters hot on their heels. His loyalty will be called into question but he proves to be pivotal in the success of their mission. His amazing horse Genghis makes me think of Sven from Frozen, and he is incredibly important in helping the two children succeed too. Tuli has an appreciation for what life there has to offer – it is a stark contrast to the AI fuelled, technology dependant lifestyle readers will be familiar with, and it is through Tuli’s perspective that readers are encouraged to embrace the natural world and all that it has to offer. From resources such as the sheepskin coat keeping Tuli warm against the elements, to utilising landmarks to navigate the journey ahead, there are so many skills to be learnt, resources to be thankful for, and beauty to appreciate from mother nature, and Tuli really does, and readers will desire to be more free like Tuli is, to enjoy the world we inhabit, not the ones that exist via technology. The thought of even one child spending less time in front of screens as a result of embracing all this book has to offer is priceless.
How could you not come away with a new found or reignited love for the natural world and all it has to offer when you are handed nature’s bouquet by the most authentic of children’s authors when it comes to capturing all the endless possibilities that exploring outdoors affords you. This is without doubt down to Abi’s natural talent for storytelling and it is also based on her own experiences visiting Mongolia and embracing all it has to offer. Being able to pull from her own adventures and her incredible imagination and create these majestically magical landscapes for readers to escape into is what makes her the best-selling author that she is. There are scenes involving a herd of wild horses that gave me literal goosebumps, it really is testament to how much Abi enjoys outdoor adventures with all she details within each unfolding scene, and to conclude this beautiful adventure by reunions happening for all those we have come to know within our time with Emmy and in Whisperfell feels like the perfect end to an unforgetable experience. From start to finish you are captivated, not just from the lives of those characters you fall in sync with as they embark on a treacherous adventure, nor as you will on Silver to succeed in finding the sanctuary of home, perhaps it comes down to being able to experience everything Abi has, that she woven into this book, from the get go with the same level of authenticity as a tangible trip of your very own. Goodnight Silver allows you to become friends with Emmy, Tuli and Silver and you keep them in your heart long after the final turn of the page.
