The Billow Maiden

A beautiful story of healing and friendship for young readers about a young girl whose discovery of a billow maiden in a remote cave at her aunt and uncle's fishing village and the extraordinary repercussions on both the village and Ailsa's family.

The heartwarming and lyrical middle-grade story of Ailsa, a young girl who's spending the summer with her aunt and uncle on a remote island when she discovers a cave and in it a billow maiden who has lost her sea-skin and needs her help.

Ailsa’s mum is ill, not the first time, so they spend the summer with her aunt and uncle. Aunt Bertha, Uncle Nod and their dog Moxie live on an island off the coast, by a beautiful fishing village surrounded by beaches and clifftops. Ailsa and Moxie spend their whole time there exploring these beaches and cliffs, until one day they find a hidden cave. Inside the cave, they find Hefring, a strange woman not keen on strangers.

Ailsa slowly gets to know who Hefring is. She is a selkie, a mermaid, a billow maiden from ancient myth. However, she is stuck on land and slowly dying. It is up to Ailsa and her new friend Camilla to save her, but there are plenty of obstacles in the way – not least Ailsa’s own fears and her mum’s illness.

The Billow Maiden is a beautifully told tale of friendship, family, healing and transformation from a stunning new writer for children.