Moving to a new city, school AND making new friends was not something Nate was particularly happy about but his family was all here, including his ant farm, so he tried his best to accept it.
Going from a small town to a big city was a big change for him in more ways than one.
Determined to fit in, he tried to adjust to his new life but stumbled at the first hurdle when he’s chosen to speak about China at the school assembly, much to his horror. Nate doesn’t know anything about his ancestors or Chinese customs – he can’t even speak Chinese! He forgets his notes and the whole event is a nightmare for him. It was not the start at school he’d hoped for at all. As he makes friends with house-captain Missy and the loveable Ryan, they have no idea about the mysterious clue-solving adventure of a lifetime they’re about to go on.
When a historian brings a display of artifacts to his school, Nate’s drawn to the Chinese shell casing with ornate markings. Once he touches it, there’s no turning back. He’s visited by Jirou, the ghost of a WW1 solider who turns Nate’s world upside down and to top it all off, Nate’s the only one who can see or hear him!
Stealing the case so Nate can find out as much as he can about Jirou and the connection he has made with him, it’s a race against time before the police are called. Nate finds out more than he ever imagined about himself, his family and long lost ancestors but at what cost to those around him? Will he ever feel like he truly belongs in Liverpool with his mums?
Maisie Chan has written a fantastic fast-paced adventure that embraces identity, perseverance, historical elements and family in one incredible novel.
Every chapter highlights brilliant facts about ants too, a genius approach to learning abut a creature perhaps many of us don’t know much about.
A truly engaging story of an adopted boy trying to find out where he belongs.
Beautiful illustrations by Simone Douglas add to the vibrant and heart-warming storyline.
