A Pocketful of Stars

By: Aisha Bushby

Narrated by: Lara Sawalha

This place is magic … but it's not the sort of magic that comes from wands and spells …

Can piecing together the past help you change the present?

Safiya and her mum have never seen eye to eye. Her mum doesn’t understand Safiya’s love of gaming and Safiya doesn't think they have anything in common. As Safiya struggles to fit in at school she wonders if her mum wishes she was more like her confident best friend Elle. But then her mum falls into a coma and, when Safiya waits by her bedside, she finds herself in a strange and magical world that looks a bit like one of her games. And there’s a rebellious teenage girl, with a secret, who looks suspiciously familiar …

©2023 Aisha Bushby (P)2020 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

'Bushby's debut is poignant and atmospheric.' (The Guardian)

'A poignantly written novel that is hard to put down and even harder to forget.' (Kirkus Reviews)

'Aisha Bushby maintains a delicate balance between the dream world and the everyday one, keeping both equally vivid, credible and compelling. An impressive debut and a skilful examination of grief, love and growing-up.' (Books for Keeps)