Golden Butterfly

The Golden Butterfly danced in the air, beautiful and impossible, yet there before their eyes. Then the Magnificent Marko flicked his wand again. There was a shower of sparks, a bang and ... the Golden Butterfly vanished. It's 1897 and since the Magnificent Marko dramatically departed the stage, no magician has come close to performing a trick as spectacular as the Golden Butterfly. With her grandfather gone, Luciana feels that the world has lost its wonder. Then the imposing leader of the Grand Society of Magicians appears, searching for something belonging to Marko, and Luciana is drawn into a world of danger and deception. As she battles to protect her grandfather's greatest legacy, can she distinguish reality from illusion?NOMINATED FOR THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2020A dazzling tale of bravery and friendship in this fast-paced historical adventure for fans of Katherine Woodfine, COGHEART and THE NOWHERE EMPORIUM."A perfectly paced and wonderfully written tale of mystery and magic... I'm sure this is a book I'll return to with great enjoyment. A fantastic read!” - Sinéad O'Hart, author of THE EYE OF THE NORTH and THE STAR-SPUN WEB

"Gosling's novel is an intricate puzzle, filled with cunning sleights of hand. While touching on issues of class and especially gender, its main purpose is to bewitch and enhral, which it does admirably all the way to its uplifting finale.", 'A perfectly paced and wonderfully written tale of mystery and magic which reminded me of Peter Bunzl's COGHEART, but with a charm all its own, this is an excellent, absorbing and unputdownable story from Sharon Gosling. THE GOLDEN BUTTERFLY conjures up a world of stage magicians, rivalry, magical illusions and family secrets, asking some big and important questions about gender equality and opportunity along the way. Luciana and Charley are wonderful creations, characters to really root for in a story packed with memorable players, and I'm sure this is a book I'll return to with great enjoyment. A fantastic read!', 'This is an exciting read with strong characters and a plot that twists, turns and slides into place just like one of the Magnificent Marko's puzzle boxes. It is a page turner which will appeal to readers who like adventure, mystery and intrigue. The Magnificent Marko would be proud - it's simply magical.’, 'Clever, magical writing by Sharon Gosling brings to life an inspiring star character who, through sheer determination, faces down inequality, bullying and misogyny... A hold your breath, dramatic and emotional finale brings to a close a book which is not to be missed!’, ‘I adored every second of THE GOLDEN BUTTERFLY! This is one of the best middle grade books I’ve read in recent years.’

Sharon Gosling is the award-winning author of middle grade novels THE DIAMOND THIEF and THE GOLDEN BUTTERFLY, as well as YA horror FIR, which was shortlisted for the Lancashire Book of the Year 2017. Sharon lives in a small village near Carlisle, in Cumbria. @sharongosling