A little while ago, it was my privilege to review here the children’s book Storm Child by Ele Fountain ahead of publication and as I so loved the book, I’m delighted that Ele has agreed to ‘stay in’ with me to chat all about it.

Lets find out more:

Staying in with Ele Fountain

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Ele and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

I’m delighted to be joining you.

Tell me (as if I didn’t know!), which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought Storm Child, my sixth novel. I wrote this story while my favourite thalassophile was weathering a huge storm of their own, and so it’s particularly special to me.

Interesting. What can we expect from an evening in with Storm Child?

Some of my earliest memories are of being by the sea. In these memories I am always happy (and it’s always windy!). The ocean can be a source of joy, fear, adventure and longing. In Storm Child, I wanted to tether this power to the upheaval faced by Maya, the main character.

And you do it brilliantly! Tell us more about Maya.

She is fourteen and grew up by the sea. Her Dad is a fisherman and her family home is perched on top of windswept cliffs, above one of the finest surfing coves for miles around. Maya, a talented surfer, spends most of her spare time at the beach with her friends. She can spot the perfect wave and knows how to make the best beach bonfires. But when her father loses his fishing boat in a terrible storm, Maya’s life capsizes too. With no money and no fishing boat, her parents decide to make a new life – in paradise. They choose a tropical island that looks just like ones Maya has seen in films. But when she arrives, the beaches aren’t what she imagined. Nor is her new friend. Maya doesn’t realise it, but she’s drifting into the heart of a storm that threatens to tear her family apart.

I loved the way the physical and metaphorical storms are interwoven in the story.

Storm Child is an adventure story with themes of family, friendship, resilience and globalisation – and plenty of toasted marshmallows and gale-force winds too!

Brilliant summing up of Storm Child Ele! What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought some of my favourite beach finds from the Devon and Cornish coast, items that reflect the oceans permanence, rhythms and abundance.

Firstly, a selection of sea glass. My favourites pieces are always turquoise or dark blue – which seem to be rarest.

Oh they do. It took me over 60 years to find my first piece – though I do live about as far from the sea as it is possible to be.

Next, is an ammonite. To me, fossils seem like an almost magical link to the past. I was so excited when I discovered this one. It sits on my windowsill so that I can look at it while I’m typing.

Again, I couldn’t agree more. We went fossil hunting last summer and my husband once bought me a fossilised trilobite for Christmas. 

Lastly, an old milk bottle covered in barnacles. I love that the ocean turned it into a home for sea creatures, then in time would have transformed it to sea glass, then sand. The transformative power of nature in three simple steps!

I am so jealous of that bottle Ele. What a find!

Thank you so much for chatting about Storm Child. I just loved the book and readers will find my review here. 

Storm Child

Maya’s life is about to be upended. After her dad’s fishing boat is ravaged by a relentless storm, Maya’s parents make the decision to start over-by moving to a tropical island. But making a change doesn’t always make a difference. Far from her friends and her quiet seaside home where she spent all her time surfing, Maya is swept away by a storm much larger than herself. As Maya begins to realise that paradise is not always what it seems, can she bring her family back home again?

Storm Child was published by Pushkin Press on 4th July 2024 and is available for purchase through the links here.

About Ele Fountain

Ele Fountain worked as an editor in children’s publishing where she helped launch and nurture the careers of many prize-winning and bestselling authors. Ele’s debut novel, Boy 87, won four awards and was nominated for nine more, including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. She lives in Hampshire with her husband and two daughters.

For further information, visit Ele’s website, or follow her on Twitter/X @EleFountain.