‘Exciting, deftly plotted and full of surprises, this fantastic tale of Alice and her friends - both animal and human! - will sweep you away.’
The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks
Emily Kenny“Has heart, soul and so much spirit.” Lindsay Galvin, author of Darwin’s Dragons
“Disappearing animals, twists and turns, and an amazing autistic protagonist.” Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of Dosh
“Exciting, deftly plotted and full of surprises.” Sinéad O’Hart, author of The Eye of the North
Alice Tonks would love to make friends at boarding school. And, being autistic, she just wants people to accept her for who she is. But after a rather strange encounter with a talking seagull on her first day, she suddenly has a new challenge and a lot of questions.
Animals are going missing and Alice can’t solve the mystery alone. With new friends behind her, can Alice harness her magic powers and become the hero she never imagined?
A story about finding your voice, friendship and unlikely heroes, for fans of A Kind of Spark
Reviews
Sinéad O'Hart, author of The Eye of the North
‘Everyone says stories have heart but The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks has heart, soul and so much spirit.’
Lindsay Galvin, author of Darwin’s Dragons
‘A boarding school adventure like Malory Towers. But… everyday drama of the school is shot through with magical events. And the protagonist of the story has a disability. A disabled figure in a fantasy is in itself something of a rarity. The skill with which Kenny draws together these diverse threads is truly impressive, making a book not easily to be forgotten.’
Books for Keeps, 5* review
‘A tale of friendship with an autistic protagonist, by an autistic author, this promises to be a great new series.’
Bookseller
'Witty dialogue seasons the page-turning plot... Autistic author Kenny draws Alice’s experiences candidly and with nuance, while a self-accepting protagonist, clever conundrums, and an abundance of personality-packed talking animals give this boarding school mystery a classic feel.'
Publishers Weekly
‘I absolutely loved it! An instant classic, in my opinion. Boarding school + animals + magic? Yes, please!... An autistic girl getting to be the hero in her own thrilling adventure, unravelling a mystery and not having to change or be a different person to fit in. That's a lot of ticked boxes. Young readers are going to find a firm favourite in this story, with the promise of more Tonks excitement to come!’
Kate Foster, author of Paws
‘A charming adventure, filled with the kind of magic I wished for as a child, with an autistic protagonist. A great addition to the magical school stories shelf, absolutely chock full with animals.’
Lizzie Huxley-Jones, editor of Stim
‘A sumptuous middle grade mystery that will intrigue and enchant animal lovers of all ages. I LOVED IT. Can’t wait for the next instalment in the series!’
Jessica Scott-Whyte, author of The Asparagus Bunch
‘I LOVED it – with a main character you’ll root for, it’s the perfect mix of classic boarding school mystery with VERY high stake surprises.’
Perdita Cargill, author of Diary of an Accidental Witch
‘An exciting fantasy mystery… Alice and her friends illustrate many ways of being special and show how being different can be a good thing... Alice’s adventures will appeal to fans of animals and magical boarding schools, and to anyone who has ever felt different.’
Booklist
'An original, entertain, deftly scripted, and thoroughly 'kid friendly' story about finding your voice, friendship, and unlikely heroes… a fun read with a critically important underlying message with subtle reference to autism.’ Midwest Book Review
‘Shades of Enid Blyton and Harry Potter and a fresh, wonderful magic of its very own. Twists, turns, friends, animals and a brilliant autistic heroine called Alice Tonks. Set in a boarding school by the sea!’
Nicola Penfold, author of Where the World Turns Wild
Emily Kenny
Like Alice, Emily Kenny is autistic and wanted to write her debut novel about an autistic child protagonist. Emily studied English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, completed the MA in Children’s Literature at Roehampton University, and was part of the Spark Mentor scheme with WriteMentor. Emily works as a secondary school English teacher and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, and lives in London.
Author page
