The Sky Beneath the Stone

by Alex Mullarky

Thirteen-year-old Ivy North is an adventurer. She can pitch a tent in four minutes flat, knows the local landscape like the back of her hand, and she's an expert map reader. There's just one problem.

She's afraid to go outside.

But when her little brother is transformed into a kestrel by a powerful sorcerer, Ivy is the only one who can rescue him. Following him through a mysterious hole in the garden wall, she emerges in Underfell -- an enchanted realm that seems like the Lake District she knows, but is dangerously different.

Battling her dread of being out in the open, Ivy must gather all her courage to navigate a path across this extraordinary world, where powerful fairies with birds' wings fly through purple skies and a ghostly spectre haunts her every step. With the help of an unexpected new friend, can Ivy break the spell -- before her brother becomes a bird forever?

An immersive and beautifully written fantasy adventure, The Sky Beneath the Stone is a soaring journey of family, friendship, overcoming fear -- and realising that we are never as lost as we think we are. Alex Mullarky's debut novel introduces a captivating new talent in children's fiction.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy

288 pages, Paperback

Published February 24, 2022

Reviews

[Thibault Busschots]

Ivy is an adventurer in heart and soul. She knows how to read a map and can set up a tent in just four minutes. She’s prepared herself for the adventure of a lifetime. There’s just one tiny little problem: she’s afraid to leave her own home.

When she discovers that her little brother has gone through a mysterious hole in their garden wall and has been turned into a bird, she can hear the adventure calling out to her. It’s a call she can’t ignore, no matter how scared she might be. She collects all her courage and goes in after him, into the fairy realm.


My heart melts for Ivy. What a relatable and charming character. So easy to root for. She makes you want to buy a tent to go camping, and yet she also makes you want to stay at home at the same time. Kit is also quite a strong character, though the veil of the mystery surrounding him feels lifted a bit too quickly in my opinion. Both main characters are fleshed out well though and have a strong character arc. So many emotions. And the Spectre King is such a cool and mysterious character.


There’s so much to explore in this book. The lake district setting comes alive very well here, you can feel the adventure bursting out of the landscape. The inclusion of real places like Long Meg and Her Daughters and Castle Crag for example is done so smoothly. The fantasy world inspired by fairy and folk tales is mesmerizing and magical in all the right ways. No matter how common they are, all the birds feel special in this book. Because nature and adventure are tied together so wonderfully. Love Grendel the dog, how he makes Ivy feel safe, gives her strength and reminds her of home. And the quest-like episodic plot full of twists keeps the pages turning.


What an adventure. I really enjoyed this.

[Louise H's Book Thoughts]

This is the first time I've read a "middle grade" (or upper primary) book for my pleasure as an adult. That leaves me somewhat at sea in terms of rating the story as I can't help but compare it to books written for adults, with adult protagonists.


I really did enjoy this, particularly the rich cast of characters, the weaving of folk tales into the narrative and how the setting was used to enrich the story. It's a beautiful tale of overcoming fear, set in a lush and finely crafted parallel Cumbria. Populated by fairies, Underfell's residents are much more akin to the Fae than they are to Tinkerbell.


There are obstacles, challenges, riddles and more to be completed, a kestrel and a long-lost brother needing to be found. The journey Ivy takes to solve these problems also becomes her journey back to herself. This has left me wanting to read more books aimed at this age group.

[Stephanie]

Oh, this was wonderful! A really beautifully written contemporary fantasy full of emotion and wonderful characters as well as gorgeous fae magic anchored perfectly in real Lake District myths and legends. (I also really appreciated both the mental health rep, on the part of the heroine, and the incidental LGBT rep along the way!) This is just the kind of story I loved to devour as a kid - it's in the tradition of Susan Cooper, definitely, and of course it's also one of a very long line of traditional stories centered around older sisters saving younger siblings from magical dangers - but it's also compellingly unique in the richness of its magical setting and the incredibly lovable characters. I loved reading it to myself, I look forward to sharing it with my kids, and I can't wait to read whatever Alex Mullarky writes next!

[Zoë Marriott]

The Sky Beneath the Stone is a beautifully written, fast-paced (but substantial!) fantasy adventure for children aged 8-12. Confidently and playfully written - especially for a debut - and touching commendably sensitively on themes of children's mental illness, as well as offering nuanced portrayals of diverse characters, the book is alive with lush descriptions of the natural world, well-realised relationships between characters, and intricately woven folkloric elements. But this novel's beating heart is a deep love for family and longing for home, manifested in the protagonist, Ivy, who both longs for and fears adventure under the wide blue sky. Will be perfect for readers who've enjoyed classics like The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper, but will also appeal to readers of more recent children's maintstays like The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson or The Land of Roar by Jenny McLachlan.

[Lesley Comben]

The Sky Beneath the Stone is a beautifully written fantasy tale that I think children will love and, as an adult, I found it clever, a joy to read and was completely enthralled.
I will be recommending to everyone

[Ellen Weir]

Can’t wait to read this once it is released to the public on 24th Feb 2022. My copy is pre-ordered.

[Izzie]

Follow agoraphobic Ivy North who has to face her biggest fears when her brother Callum is turned into a kestrel and whisked away into a fairy realm called Underfell!

This is a gorgeous middle grade story full of heart and warmth. Ivy's journey of self-discovery and battle with her fears was such a beautiful thing to watch unfold and I couldn't put this book down in places.

I was both enchanted and wary of this parallel world just like Ivy was throughout the novel. Her dynamic with Kit was so lovely and added really nicely to the story.

Definitely recommend this book! Officially published 24th Feb, I'm so glad I was kindly sent an early release copy of The Sky Beneath the Stone 😁.

[Mairhi (A Gingers Tale)]

The Sky Beneath the stone is an amazing debut book that explores nature, friendships and believing in yourself.

When Ivy's younger brother is turned into a Kestrel by magic its up to Ivy to save him and face her fear of being outside.

While the book is set for middle grade reading I think adults will enjoy getting lost in this tale and the world of Underfell that Alex has created.

I know as a kid I would have been obsessed with this book. Will be recommending to everyone

[Katharine]

This beautiful book follows young Ivy's adventure into a magical world through a hole in the wall of her back garden. This story is full of heart, friendship and bravery - with magic and myth beautifully interwoven. Cumbrian locals and anyone with a love of the Lake District will delight when joining Ivy as she navigates well known landmarks and fells. A perfect story for nature-loving adventurers - children and adults alike. I couldn't put it down!

[El]

I wouldn't normally read a book aimed at this age group, but I know Alex and wanted to read her book! Honestly I was worried I'd have to give it a lower rating and feel guilty about it, but this was honestly an excellent read. You have to take it for what it is, so I'm certainly not comparing this to adult books, but to similar books I've read aimed at a younger audience (mostly YA).

Ivy's adventure in Underfell, overcoming her fear and panic to rescue her brother and transform him back to a boy from the bird he has become, was a great comment on how we deal with our self-doubts and negative self-talk. The way the fairies were described, with their bird wings, was very original. And of course I enjoyed the queer element that came into it at the end. Overall a very enjoyable book that I'm sure would be even better for it's intended age group.

[Neethu Nair]

🧚‍♀️Summary: The book follows the journey of Ivy North into the fairy realm of Underfell in search of her brother Callum, who was cursed into being a kestrel. With the help of two unique companions, Ivy travels through the strange land of fairies, and learns a lot about magic, and also about herself.
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🧚‍♀️I would say that I have found another favorite! There is so much magic and genuine feelings packed in here. A beautiful story with some amazing characters that held the plot up. As someone who loves being out in nature, this book was everything to me! It was so strongly connected to nature and full of adventure! I would love to visit Cumbria and experience its magic one day. I would recommend everyone to give it a try, it's such fun!

[Kalilah]

I really wanted to like this book because of its nature theme, but had to give up about 70 pages through. After the first chapter, the writing was just very dry and read like something an unoiled robot might produce. It didn't have any of the lyrical magic you would expect of a story like this. I know that sounds harsh, but I was so hoping to be swept away by beautifully descriptive passages and immersive storytelling, but I got none of that. :(

[Cuti-CLUE-les]

3.5/5

Interesting premise and I enjoyed the start. There was a lull in the middle and it felt like you were reading just to get to finish the book and not actually enjoying the story.

I really liked the end and the little twists that were thrown in. Not quite what I thought the book was going to be but it was a nice read and the cover is beautiful.

[Alex Jakob-Whitworth]

Lovely. I live in Cumbria and know well, lots of these places. Good to read a re-telling and re-imagining of many folk tales as well as historical references. Embedded in time and place (enjoyed the DW reference (close to my soul).
Nicely written, with suspense, colour, and three dimensional characters; very “today” in its approach.
Look forward to the next!

[Jayne]

Loved everything about this book from the first page - the setting, the nature elements, the use of the fairy tales of the Lakes district, the alternate world, the different time periods - all of it!
It sensitively portrays children's mental health issues and the ups and downs of friendship and how to negotiate them.
Fast paced and beautifully written.

[Madelief Schram]

One of the most beautifully written children's books I've read so far! After every chapter I was inspired to start writing again on my own stories. Pure magic if a story has the power to inspire you like that.

[Sinéad O'Hart]

I was gripped by this fantastic, moving, brilliantly exciting story of a world that can only be seen through a hole in a garden wall... Full of peril and intrigue and packed with brilliant characters to root for and cheer on, this was my first read of 2023 and I'm not sure it's been bettered yet!

[Hannah Foley]

Atmospheric, beautiful, cosy and heartbreaking by turns. The ending is as snugly and satisfyingly tied up as a mug of hot chocolate beside the log burner after a windy walk on the fells.

[Kbrown]

Based around Cumbria. It’s lovely.

[Abigail]

Pretty perfect. An epic adventure with heart and depth. I loved the birds.

[Netrix]

4.5 / 5 stars

[Allan Judge]

Not good 😠😠

[Kate Morgan]

Alex Mullarky’s The Sky Beneath the Stone is a wonderful children’s adventure fantasy book which can be enjoyed by a reader of any age. Mullarky uses myths and legends centred around the Lake District to embed folk law into her novel, so readers familiar with the location can recognise the different fairy stories which are well known to the area, such as Long Meg and her Daughter, the Fairy Rock and the Beast of Cumbria. This adds a sense of magical realism to the text, and readers can identify different areas mentioned from her descriptions. Additionally, Mullarky uses Ordnance Survey grid references at the beginning of each chapter to map Ivy’s journey through the familiar location, so you really feel immersed in the text setting. Her protagonist, Ivy North is agoraphobic and struggles to go outside after she previously found herself lost and it resulted in a panic attack. We see her attempts to overcome her fears through her determination to rescue her brother, who has been turned into a kestrel. Ivy is a great character, well written and realistic, even Taliesin’s character is multilayered, and his character growth is well thought out. However, the best character is definitely Kit. Kit smashed my heart into a million pieces, through his character we get a brilliant blend of the past and present, showing how old some of these legends are. The characters are diverse, and the LGBTQ representation is realistic and not overplayed or exaggerated. Similarly, I found the descriptions of Ivy’s mental health really well written, this was one of the standout factors from the novel. Mullarky has done a brilliant job, I would definitely recommend this book to any aged reader.

[Amy (Golden Books Girl)]

I won a copy of this in a giveaway run by the author and I was thrilled, because it’s such a gorgeously made book and I was sure it would be just as beautiful on the inside. It is indeed such a lyrically written fantasy set in Cumbria, following a girl named Ivy who must venture through to Underfell in order to save her brother from the spell of a sorcerer, despite the fact she is agoraphobic. Ivy doesn’t think she’s very brave, but I hugely admire her strength and her Map reading skills are incredible. The boy she meets when she enters Underfell, Kit, has the most amazing backstory of his own and I adored him, so when I tell you my heart just about snapped in two at one point when there’s a big reveal about him. I also loved the portrayal of the antagonist and how complex he is, because I don’t want to give anything away but he isn’t who you think he is and I just think he’s so well written. The world is a great spin on faeries and folklore, and the Cumbrian setting is really special and unusual and the descriptions of the landscape are stunning. I’m very excited to see what Alex writes next!

[Catherine Anne]

This is a beautifully written novel perfect for 8 to 12 year olds but also very enjoyable for adults.
It has a gripping story line but has many layers to it. Based on the landscape of Cumbria you can track lvys progress on a real map and explore the actual countryside. It's full of folklore and legends. I learnt a lot about somewhere I lived for many years. A great read.
I was lucky enough to get a pre-release copy of this book.