Riverkeep

Martin Stewart has previously worked as a recycling technician, university lecturer, barman, golf caddy, and English teacher. Having written his first book on Post-Its as an eight year-old, it was his time back in the classroom that made him understand the unique joy of writing for younger readers. A native of Glasgow, where he still lives, he enjoys buying books to feed his to-be-read pile, and combining the city's urban splendour with walks on the beaches of Scotland's west coast. Martin's first novel, Riverkeep, was longlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. Follow him on Twitter: @martinjstewart.

A cracking, startlingly original story . . . It would be an extraordinary book by any author - but it is Martin Stewart's first