The Tale of Truthwater Lake: 'Absolutely gorgeous.' Hilary McKay
As seen:
By Emma Carroll
avg rating
10 reviews
Emma Carroll’s books have sold over half a million copies!
The future has a lot to learn from the past in this time-travelling adventure that explores the before and after of global warming.
On one side of the underwater street is the remains of a house . . . It’s beautiful here, and eerie, a lost kingdom, a ghost village . . .
It’s the near-future and Britain is having yet another heatwave. Of course, the government have put in the normal curfews for this kind of weather, and shops are forced to shut again. For Polly, it’s the sort of heat that makes her do wild, out-of-character things just to cool down.
Like face her fear of deepwater. Essential when she and her brother have been sent to their aunt’s eco lake-side house for the summer.
But Truthwater Lake is beginning to dry up. As the water level diminishes, a lost village emerges. Swimming over the rooftops at midnight, Polly dives down and is suddenly able to breathe, to hear church bells and bird song . . . Polly has discovered an underwater gateway . . . to the past!
‘Absolutely gorgeous.’ Hilary McKay
‘Gripping.’ Guardian, Best Books of 2022
‘Spellbinding.’ School Reading List
‘Gorgeously told.’ Nicola Penfold, LoveReading Book of the Month
‘Exhilarating.’ FT
Reviews
A really heartwarming book reminding us that there are struggles in life but with good friends and being true to yourself everything can work out in the end.
Very important topic, told in a fascinating way. This led me down a research rabbit hole about drowned towns! I can always tell when I've enjoyed a book if I start reading around the topic afterwards, and this was definitely one of those. Emma Carroll's beautiful writing made this un-put-downable!
A really good book. As well as being a made up story, it gold an important message about the future
Wow . Just wow . Emma Carroll is a legend of fiction , and the fact Polly actually met Nellie was just so cool at the end ! I loved this book and would definitely recommend!
I cannot believe this book has been rated only 5 times. it is really good, a story about 2 girls with very different lives. I wont give away any more. My favourite character is Nellie and I would recommend it to anyone who likes Emma Carroll or indeed any fans of swimming, history or time changing!
This is an enjoyable and cleverly written book with two plots- one set in 2032 and one in 1952. The plots slowly draw the reader in until the link between the two dates are revealed in a riveting climax. The characters from 2032 and 1952 have a different set of challenges to face. In the modern world, climate change is making life unbearable and in the past world, the community face losing their homes so that the valley can be flooded to form a reservoir. As the story unfolds, you get to know the main characters well: they are likeable and believable as they try to find their way through growing up and support each other with bullying and friendship issues. The book also provides some lovely insights into 1950's life. I would recommend this book to my year 6 class.
Another brilliant book by Emma Carroll. I read it to my year 5 class and they all loved it. The story plot about a child channel swimmer was fascinating and the way Emma has woven in climate change is both scary and highly relevant.
This is one of Emma Carroll's best books. It all about 2030 and the heatwaves. Polly and her brother get sent to live with their aunt for a while and when they are there Polly finds a dried up lake which she explores. She gets visions of the past about a girl called Nellie. I love this book beacause it shows me what happened in history and also what Emma Carroll thinks will happen in the future. My favourite character is Nellie because she is a strong female character, she faces her fears and she loves swimming. I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, adventures, swimming or friendship. Overall it was a really enjoyable read and it was worth buying.
I really enjoyed this book!!! I liked how it balanced the past and the future in a way they combined!!! It really made me think about climate change and the future. I would recommend!!
Another cracking book from Emma Carroll who manages to strike the perfect balance between modern day and historical events.
