Mysterious cities, dark stories and creepy secrets, young heroes brave beyond their years with well-drawn psychological portraits, echoes of ancient European myths - all this is in the new book “Island of Seagulls” by Frances Harding. Two sisters live in the village of Wicker Animals - the eldest, Wanderer Arilou, and the youngest Khatin, her faithful assistant. They are both hiding a terrible secret, but when sinister events begin to happen, the frightened sisters are forced to flee. On the Island of Gulls, nothing is what it seems: volcanoes quarrel, forgetterbugs sing dangerous songs, and sometimes Wanderers are born - people who can let go of their feelings and mind take flight. It happens that a capable Wanderer will stand somewhere in the grass and feel with his skin how it tickles his knees, and at the same time manages to look into the depths of the sea ten miles from the shore. These are vulnerable people with a special destiny. But Hatin doesn't really know whether Arilou is the Nomad or just deceiving everyone around her. An inspector arrives on Seagull Island to find out the truth. Hatin and her family are very scared and find out before the exam what tests await Arilou. But during the inspector's checks, someone kills him. Then the Wanderers begin to die. “Tearing off the bracelets from her and her sister’s hands, she stared at them with sudden pain. These were their treasures, each shell painstakingly and carefully selected for decoration... but salvation depended on silence.” Francis Harding is an international phenomenon, author of the best-selling books “The Cuckoo’s Song” and “The Tree of Lies”, twice winner of the famous Costa Prize. She writes children's books that adults read.