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The River Spirit
Trapped within the oppresive warrens of the city’s chimneys, young sweeper Tom longs for fresh air and freedom in this atmospheric and ghostly tale from Lucy Strange.
Young chimney sweep Tom has started seeing strange, supernatural things – fairies in the flowers by the river, a soot monster crouching in the darkness of a chimney, and then the mysterious river spirit Elle. Elle joins Tom and the other children apprenticed to cruel master sweep Mister Crow. Together, they shimmy up the town's narrow, filthy chimneys. But Tom has an ominous feeling in his bones, and when he faces his most dangerous job of all, the reason for Elle's magical appearance becomes clear . . .
Young chimney sweep Tom has started seeing strange, supernatural things – fairies in the flowers by the river, a soot monster crouching in the darkness of a chimney, and then the mysterious river spirit Elle. Elle joins Tom and the other children apprenticed to cruel master sweep Mister Crow. Together, they shimmy up the town's narrow, filthy chimneys. But Tom has an ominous feeling in his bones, and when he faces his most dangerous job of all, the reason for Elle's magical appearance becomes clear . . .
96 pages, Paperback
Published June 6, 2024
3 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Strange
15 books415 followersLucy Strange worked as an actor, singer and storyteller before becoming a secondary school English teacher. She now lives and writes in the heart of the Kent countryside with her partner James, their baby boy and a tortoiseshell cat known as Moo.
Our Castle by the Sea is Lucy’s second novel for children, following her critically acclaimed debut, The Secret of Nightingale Wood.
Our Castle by the Sea is Lucy’s second novel for children, following her critically acclaimed debut, The Secret of Nightingale Wood.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 14, 2024
Wait, I wasn't ready 😭😭😭. That was actually so much sadder than I thought it was going to be!
November 6, 2024
Super short but bittersweet, still, powerful.
December 19, 2025
this is such a cute little short story. it would make such a good read for ages 9(very mild language, i.e. Damn) if you skip that word a parent can read it to someone much younger for sure, although it talks a little bit on Death.
very much enjoyed it. 🤗
very much enjoyed it. 🤗
May 28, 2024
Lucy Strange and Barrington Stoke - how much better can it get? I loved The Storm and The Minotaur so looking forward to this.
Well, The River Spirit is up there with the best!
The book tells the story of Tom Waterman - he is a child chimney sweep. Along with his friends Bert and Squirrell (Bert can't remember his surname and Squirrell can't remember her name at all) they are working for the Master - Mister Crow and he is horrid! As is his wife.
Tom starts seeing things, odd things. A soot monster, fairies, ghosts...he's pretty sure this isn't good. But when they are washing in the river one Sunday morning before church he sees something else - only this follows them, this ethereal creature - a girl - stops his Master beating him because he is so afraid of her. Tom names her Elle - she doesn't blink, she stays with them, she goes up the chimneys but doesn't get dirty. Tom thinks she is his guardian angel. Squirrell says she is a River Spirit - she looks like water and smells of mud! Either way Tom is worried by her appearing and staying with them.
Then the Master gets another boy, Joe, he's young. On the way to a job they pass a policeman who points out children going up chimneys is illegal - Mister Crow laughs and says that's not what they do, they're for clearing up the mess of the brushes. But when Tom looks at the chimney Joe is supposed to climb and says no - he'll go.
But something goes wrong....what, and how does Elle feature in this.
Lovely illustrations by Júlia Moscardó depicting the scenes - I just love the picture on page 10.
.
Absolutely stunning story featuring the reality of life for poor children in Victorian Britain alongside a spirit creature, who was clearly seen as an omen for something.
Lucy Strange says she was inspired by Charles Kingsley's The Water Babies (which I'm afraid I haven't read despite having a very old copy of) and the story of another boy who was a real chimney sweep who in 1875 was 12. This boy was a catalyst the ending of child labour.
Thanks to Poppy at Barrington Stoke for this book. I am very happy to have received it!
TA, ESCP
Well, The River Spirit is up there with the best!
The book tells the story of Tom Waterman - he is a child chimney sweep. Along with his friends Bert and Squirrell (Bert can't remember his surname and Squirrell can't remember her name at all) they are working for the Master - Mister Crow and he is horrid! As is his wife.
Tom starts seeing things, odd things. A soot monster, fairies, ghosts...he's pretty sure this isn't good. But when they are washing in the river one Sunday morning before church he sees something else - only this follows them, this ethereal creature - a girl - stops his Master beating him because he is so afraid of her. Tom names her Elle - she doesn't blink, she stays with them, she goes up the chimneys but doesn't get dirty. Tom thinks she is his guardian angel. Squirrell says she is a River Spirit - she looks like water and smells of mud! Either way Tom is worried by her appearing and staying with them.
Then the Master gets another boy, Joe, he's young. On the way to a job they pass a policeman who points out children going up chimneys is illegal - Mister Crow laughs and says that's not what they do, they're for clearing up the mess of the brushes. But when Tom looks at the chimney Joe is supposed to climb and says no - he'll go.
But something goes wrong....what, and how does Elle feature in this.
Lovely illustrations by Júlia Moscardó depicting the scenes - I just love the picture on page 10.
.
Absolutely stunning story featuring the reality of life for poor children in Victorian Britain alongside a spirit creature, who was clearly seen as an omen for something.
Lucy Strange says she was inspired by Charles Kingsley's The Water Babies (which I'm afraid I haven't read despite having a very old copy of) and the story of another boy who was a real chimney sweep who in 1875 was 12. This boy was a catalyst the ending of child labour.
Thanks to Poppy at Barrington Stoke for this book. I am very happy to have received it!
TA, ESCP
August 20, 2024
Joe had no idea of what lay ahead. The darkness. The pain. Choking on soot. Burning his hands, his back. The tight, gasping panic of it.
I really like the way Lucy Strange's Barrington Stoke books shine a light on Victorian child labour while still telling an engrossing story. The lives of the chimney sweeps are captured with just a few evocative sentences, little details standing out like Squirrel not remembering her own name, or the children sleeping in the cellar "like a pile of street pups huddled together for warmth", or the policeman having "a nice smile -- like a big brother would give you".
But the magical elements weren't as seamlessly blended in as they were in her other books? Tom is the only one who can see strange creatures and spirits, but when Elle the river spirit appears, for some reason everyone can see her? She slots into their lives even though Mister Crow the Master Sweep is clearly disturbed by her supernatural appearance/origin, and I found it hard to suspend disbelief.
August 2, 2024
Wow! Lucy Strange hit the spot again. A beautiful mix of history and fantasy. I love the concept of a river spirit.
January 3, 2025
A beautiful and well-told story! And it all happened so quickly. Great characters and illustrations. I loved the extra history at the end as well.
March 6, 2025
Wow, the River Spirit is such a sweet, melancholy tale.
Based on the history of chimney sweepers.
I will be reading the Water Babies as it references this book that inspired the change of child labour of those who were often too young and died.
How sad.
Based on the history of chimney sweepers.
I will be reading the Water Babies as it references this book that inspired the change of child labour of those who were often too young and died.
How sad.
May 23, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
September 29, 2025
bittersweet and sad.
February 13, 2025
Wow I wasn't expecting this to be so sad but I loved it!
I think the narrator did a fantastic job voicing the characters and his voice really fit the setting of the story.
I wasn't expecting this to take inspiration from a true story but it made it ever so heartbreaking. I think the author did a fantastic job maintaining a good balance between being a lighthearted short story and having much darker undertones.
I can't wait to check out more from this author!
I think the narrator did a fantastic job voicing the characters and his voice really fit the setting of the story.
I wasn't expecting this to take inspiration from a true story but it made it ever so heartbreaking. I think the author did a fantastic job maintaining a good balance between being a lighthearted short story and having much darker undertones.
I can't wait to check out more from this author!
August 1, 2024
This is another Barrington Stoke book by the fantastic author Lucy Strange. The others are The Storm and the Minotaur and The Mermaid and the Millpond. Every book I have read by this author is great, I would thoroughly recommend them.
The story in this book is a historical and sad one. It is about children who are sold to a chimney sweep who are then forced to climb up inside Victorian chimneys to clean the soot out which basically puts them in grave danger. Three such children, Bert, Squirrel and Tom, work for the dastardly Mr and Mrs Crow without many good things in their lives apart from each other. One day at the river where they usually wash once a week, Tom sees a strange child, Elle who seems to follow them wherever they go.
This book is an immersive and atmospheric read, inspired by Charles Kingsley’s The Water Babies which I read as a child but I would guess not known to many children these days. There is so much history to talk about in this book, mainly based around the cruelty shown towards children in Victorian times. Added to this is a mystical element of the spirit who follows the children through the story.
Certainly when you reach the end of the book, it will leave you wanting more.
The story in this book is a historical and sad one. It is about children who are sold to a chimney sweep who are then forced to climb up inside Victorian chimneys to clean the soot out which basically puts them in grave danger. Three such children, Bert, Squirrel and Tom, work for the dastardly Mr and Mrs Crow without many good things in their lives apart from each other. One day at the river where they usually wash once a week, Tom sees a strange child, Elle who seems to follow them wherever they go.
This book is an immersive and atmospheric read, inspired by Charles Kingsley’s The Water Babies which I read as a child but I would guess not known to many children these days. There is so much history to talk about in this book, mainly based around the cruelty shown towards children in Victorian times. Added to this is a mystical element of the spirit who follows the children through the story.
Certainly when you reach the end of the book, it will leave you wanting more.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews