Word-Keeper

Veronica Del Valle grew up in Argentina, but life eventually led her to live in London, the city that was her home for many years. | Veronica's always had a fondness for words, language and the magic of storytelling. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Kingston University. | Veronica currently lives in Buenos Aires with her husband, Ale, and her daughter, Tomiko. She teaches creative writing at Universidad de San Andres and is a contributing editor and writer for one of Argentina's leading news organisations. | When she's not writing or teaching, she's either a) meditating or b) enjoying life with her family (which, in a way, is another beautiful way to meditate). | 'The Word-Keeper' is the first novel she's written.

'A clever and magical story about the importance of words and language. This is a beautiful book aimed at the middle grade reader, and an impressive debut by author Veronica Del Valle. While the story may be simple, it is well told and I admire the decision to include more challenging vocabulary than is found in many books aimed at this age group. Not only does it fit the story being told and the characters, it will also challenge the younger reader. Florence is a great character; strong, determined and unwilling to be bullied. I also really liked many of the supporting characters.' - Annette Jordan, NetGalley and GoodReads reviewer.; 'Thank you so much for this amazing fantasy children's book (for middle grade students)! It is literature at its best: a fabulous and original plot (words are disappearing because of an evil genie). It is the modern-day quest of a young girl eager to save words and books - it is also the story of weird and adorable characters (her parents are mostly interested in maths and leave her to be while they are working, going to meetings, her granddad lives in Inkwell, a magical place where a nice genie, used to help writers be inspired...). It is also a story in which everything is whimsical (the town of Inkwell, its characters, its street names, etc). A tale of bravery, of the love of words and of their importance in our daily lives. A great read for kids and their parents alike! For one, I adored it!' - Marie-Helene Fasquel, NetGalley; "This is a quirky but powerful first novel from Veronica Del Valle. This tells the journey of Florence and her annual trip to Inkwell. However this year holds something more. Elements of it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland: a young female protagonist set in faraway lands. That said, it has its own sparkle of originality. This is a great read for young and older readers, especially for lovers of the chosen one trope. I liked the simple but bright cover and etched illustrations inside. I wish there were more. It comes with a lot of wise insights built into the tale, the biggest being the power of words and was executed well. I give this 4*." - Charlotte Crow, NetGalley