"A ghost story with a difference" BERLIE DOHERTY "Beautifully unpredictable" LISSA EVANS   Jodie never wanted to come on the residential trip to the field centre. A loner at school, she’s forced into a dormitory with other girls from her class who don’t understand her and talk about her behind her back. Even though they’re not trying to be mean, Jodie feels excluded and miserable, and eventually escapes out onto the salt marshes in search of a little dog she can hear barking in the distance. But the salt marshes are dangerous and Jodie gets trapped by the incoming tide. Stuck in the sucking mud, will anyone even notice that she’s gone? And where is the little dog that keeps barking so mournfully …?

"Packing so much in, this compassionate, dyslexia-friendly novella is an atmospheric, suspenseful adventure." – The Sunday Times "Superbly chilling, brilliantly satisfying. A masterpiece of a modern-day ghost story." – Emma Carroll "A hugely satisfying story about real loneliness, real friendship and a real ghost … Beautifully unpredictable." – Lissa Evans "A wonderfully spooky, deeply satisfying read. The eerie atmosphere of the saltmarsh is captured so perfectly … and I loved Jodie's emotional journey too." – Lucy Strange "I love a good ghost story & Jodie is a beauty. Salt marshes, incoming tide, a loner, & a dog who barks mournfully in the distance. Eerie, glittering, atmospheric perfection from Hilary McKay." – Eloise Williams "A pared-down, compelling, deftly characterised ghost story for 10+" – The Guardian “With no horror or jump-scares, this is a ghost story that creeps up on you slowly and says a lot about humanity and kindness. Both uplifting and thought-provoking, Jodie’s experiences reframe her differences as the things that make her special and interesting as she realises that others have their challenges too." – BookTrust, Book of the Day