Sonya Wilson – författare

WINNER: NZ BOOKLOVERS AWARD FOR BEST JUNIOR FICTION BOOK 2026AUCKLAND COUNCIL LIBRARIES TOP 10 FOR KIDS 2025FINALIST: TE PAE TAWHITI OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT MIDDLE GRADE FICTION 'First and foremost a rollicking adventure. A remarkable combination of absolute realism and total enchantment, this book will captivate young readers.' Aotearoa NZ Review of Books'A delightfully kid-forward story, where the adults play supporting roles . . . with some genuinely tense and emotional moments.' Kete Books 'Compelling. The description of this real-life wild NZ setting is beautifully portrayed, taking readers deep into the bush with Nissa. This rich realism mixed deftly with fantastical fairy-like characters, effortlessly continues the immersive story of Spark Hunter.' What Book Next?'A great adventure story of courage, friendship, love, and the power that is inside us all, even and especially if you're "just a kid". It's sure to captivate young readers.' NZ Booklovers Award judges It's almost a year since Nissa Marshall was found alive after miraculously surviving a month lost in the vast, dense, isolated bush of Fiordland. Strange, magical things happened when Nissa was lost in the wilds but was it actually real? Or had she made it all up in the forest inside her head?When the mysterious forest creatures come for Nissa again, she discovers that Fiordland is under threat. What are the sparks so afraid of? What is the secret they're so desperate to protect? And why do they think a thirteen-year-old kid can save them all? This thrilling sequel to Spark Hunter crackles with the magic of the ancient forest. It's a high-stakes adventure through a vast wonderland with a great green secret hidden from humans for thousands of years.

Winner of the Best First Book Award in the 2022 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults The judges said: 'Perfectly pitched for middle fiction readers. Making this story's light shine bright is te reo Māori blended throughout and a cast of supporting characters that are easily recognisable.''A riveting story of an imaginative world of ancient creatures woven into the real world of the impenetrable, beautiful and extremely dangerous Fiordland bush.' What Book Next? Something is hiding deep in the forest - Nissa has seen mysterious, supernatural lights in the trees. What are they, why do they seem to be trying to attract her attention and why does no one else seem to notice them? When Nissa sneaks away from her school camp to track down the lights, she finds herself lost in a dangerous wonderland. She's not the only one at risk - the Fiordland forest and the creatures in it are under threat too. What can she do where adults have failed? And can Nissa find her way back home? In Fiordland, the lost usually stay lost ...