Anya and the Light Above the Ocean by Amelia Giudici

A thrilling, heartfelt debut novel perfect for fans of Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Ross Montgomery.

Anya reached out and placed her hand against the light.
And then she was gone.

When her mum disappears, Anya sets out to find her in the middle of a storm. Taking a boat out to sea, she encounters a strange window of light hovering above the waves. Transfixed, she reaches out to touch it. She then wakes in her boat, the sea now eerily silent.

With her mum still missing, Anya is packed off to stay with an odd, unwelcoming couple. Trapped under their watchful gaze, she uncovers a shocking secret that changes everything she thought she knew.
Anya must now battle to find the truth: about her mum, about the Light, and about herself.

One of the most gripping and thought-provoking books you will ever read.

‘A singularly brave and reflective mystery with a thrilling sci-fi twist’ Ash Bond
‘From the opening page, I felt I had discovered a lost treasure’ Ross MacKenzie

Cover Illustration by Philip Harris.

About the Author: Amelia grew up in New Zealand and Warwickshire. She is currently based in East London where she works as a primary school teacher. Prior to teaching, Amelia studied Philosophy at Cambridge University, where she first encountered the thought problems concerning personal identity that ANYA AND THE LIGHT ABOVE THE OCEAN draws on. This is her debut novel and it was longlisted for the Bath Children’s Novel Award 2022. She was also a recipient of a London Writers Award in the same year.

26 Feb 2026
 

Anya and the Light Above the Ocean by Amelia Giudici ISBN 9781839136474