Ride the Wind

A heartfelt story from the author of King of the Sky, The Day War Came and The Promise, with an important point to make about male mental health.
Javier has a secret. On one of his father’s fishing trips, he finds an albatross caught on the hooks – alive, if only barely. Against his father’s orders, Javier smuggles the bird to safety and begins nursing it back to health. Every day the albatross accepts a little more food, but she shows no sign of wanting to use her wings. And if Javier's new friend refuses to fly, how will she ever find her way home? With words by award-winning author Nicola Davies and dramatic watercolours by Salvatore Rubbino, this is a beautiful story about the power of empathy.

"Nicola Davies is one of the best children's writers in the business." Huffington Post

A beautiful tale with illustrations to match.
There is much to talk about here with school-age readers and Rubbino captures the joy of the bird, the pain of loss and the harshness of the fishing life with his extraordinary pen. Squawks of approval.

The Times
Ride the Wind by Nicola Davies is the story of a young boy, his father, how each is trapped in his own grief, how they connect through a beautiful bird. A wild tale with the salt sway of the sea in its bones. She’s queen of the picture book text. Not a word wasted. Jackie Morris
In this beautifully told and emotive picturebook, a motherless boy breaks rules for the sake of an injured albatross and is reconciled with his harsh father. Salvatore Rubbino’s clear, colourful draughtsmanship is deft at evoking the story’s South American setting. The Sunday Times & The Sunday Times Ireland
This is a picture book written by author and zoologist Nicola Davies, with dramatic and sympathetic watercolour illustrations. The School Librarian
A very emotive book that can spark lots of conversations. The Green Parent

Nicola Davies is an award-winning author, whose many books for children include A First Book of Nature, A First Book of the Sea, Tiny, Lots, The Promise, King of the Sky, Ice Bear, Big Blue Whale and the Ariki series. She graduated in zoology, studied whales and bats and then worked for the BBC Natural History Unit. In 2017, she became the first ever recipient of the SLA’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Information Books. Visit Nicola at www.nicola-davies.com, or follow her on Twitter at @nicolakidsbooks.

Salvatore Rubbino's first book for children, A Walk in New York, was shortlisted for the V&A Illustration Awards; his second, A Walk in London, won an SLA Information Book Award; his third, Just Ducks! (written by Nicola Davies), was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal; his fourth, A Walk in Paris, won the IBW children's book award; and his fifth, Our Very Own Dog, won an SLA Award. Salvatore teaches on the MA Children's Book Illustration course at Cambridge School of Art and at Southampton Solent University.

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