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His Name Was Walter
FROM AUSTRALIA'S FAVOURITE STORYTELLER COMES A STORY, WITHIN A STORY, THAT SHOWS US THE EXTRAORDINARY POWER OF TRUE LOVE AND SOLVES A DECADES-OLD MYSTERY.
Once upon a time, in a dark city far away, there lived a boy called Walter, who had nothing but his name to call his own ...
The handwritten book, with its strangely vivid illustrations, has been hidden in the old house for a long, long time. Tonight, four kids and their teacher will find it. Tonight, at last, the haunting story of Walter and the mysterious, tragic girl called Sparrow will be read - right to the very end ...
From one of Australia's most renowned children's authors, comes an extraordinary story within a story - a mystery, a prophecy, a long-buried secret. And five people who will remember this night for the rest of their lives.
Once upon a time, in a dark city far away, there lived a boy called Walter, who had nothing but his name to call his own ...
The handwritten book, with its strangely vivid illustrations, has been hidden in the old house for a long, long time. Tonight, four kids and their teacher will find it. Tonight, at last, the haunting story of Walter and the mysterious, tragic girl called Sparrow will be read - right to the very end ...
From one of Australia's most renowned children's authors, comes an extraordinary story within a story - a mystery, a prophecy, a long-buried secret. And five people who will remember this night for the rest of their lives.
207 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 23, 2018
66 people are currently reading
865 people want to read
About the author
Emily Rodda
297 books2,114 followersEmily Rodda (real name Jennifer Rowe) was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney in 1973 with an MA (Hons) in English Literature. Moving into a publishing career, first as a book editor, and finally as a publisher at Angus & Robertson, Rodda's first book was published in 1984.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
August 17, 2018
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
One of Australia’s most valued and versatile storytellers, Emily Rodda, returns with a new novel, suitable for readers aged 9 years and over. Adults may also appreciate this intricate turn with Rodda. His Name was Walter is a magical mystery tour, encompassing touches of yesteryear, folklore, fantasy, love and history. When four students and teacher on a history excursion are left in the lurch when their bus breaks down, they seek sanctuary in an abandoned old mansion. A miraculous discovery is made, in the drawer of an aging desk is a handwritten book, along with a collection of unusual paintings. What the group uncovers is a book titled ‘His Name Was Walter’. As the children uncover Walter’s perplexing story, the contemporary narrative takes a back seat. Revelations are made about this mysterious figure Walter. As the children’s imagination is held captive by Walter’s adventures, the reader and the group learn of Walter’s background, his upbringing, his love for another and his search for a witch’s lost daughter. Readers are given an active role alongside the school excursion children to solve Walter’s beguiling mystery. For those with wild imaginations, this book is the perfect antidote. His Name is Walter is an enjoyable book within a book, this set piece has the power to bewitch young readers with its fantasy and mystery based elements.
*With thanks to Harper Collins Books Australia for a copy of this book for review purposes.
His Name Was Walter, is book #98 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
One of Australia’s most valued and versatile storytellers, Emily Rodda, returns with a new novel, suitable for readers aged 9 years and over. Adults may also appreciate this intricate turn with Rodda. His Name was Walter is a magical mystery tour, encompassing touches of yesteryear, folklore, fantasy, love and history. When four students and teacher on a history excursion are left in the lurch when their bus breaks down, they seek sanctuary in an abandoned old mansion. A miraculous discovery is made, in the drawer of an aging desk is a handwritten book, along with a collection of unusual paintings. What the group uncovers is a book titled ‘His Name Was Walter’. As the children uncover Walter’s perplexing story, the contemporary narrative takes a back seat. Revelations are made about this mysterious figure Walter. As the children’s imagination is held captive by Walter’s adventures, the reader and the group learn of Walter’s background, his upbringing, his love for another and his search for a witch’s lost daughter. Readers are given an active role alongside the school excursion children to solve Walter’s beguiling mystery. For those with wild imaginations, this book is the perfect antidote. His Name is Walter is an enjoyable book within a book, this set piece has the power to bewitch young readers with its fantasy and mystery based elements.
*With thanks to Harper Collins Books Australia for a copy of this book for review purposes.
His Name Was Walter, is book #98 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
June 8, 2020
This was just what I needed as an antidote to the grim reality of 2020 and reading memoirs and fiction that seem inevitably to tell stories of dysfunctional families, violence and humiliation.
Emily Rodda is a great teller of tales, written mainly for children and young adults, and this is a strongly imagined mystery in which four school children and their teacher break down in a remote place and have to take refuge in an empty house where, it soon becomes clear, something terrible happens in the past.
A beautiful book found in an old desk drawer holds the key, and as two of the children begin to read it they are captivated by its story, as indeed was I.
Emily Rodda is a great teller of tales, written mainly for children and young adults, and this is a strongly imagined mystery in which four school children and their teacher break down in a remote place and have to take refuge in an empty house where, it soon becomes clear, something terrible happens in the past.
A beautiful book found in an old desk drawer holds the key, and as two of the children begin to read it they are captivated by its story, as indeed was I.
August 21, 2018
Thank you to HarperCollins (via the HarperCollins Reading Project) for this copy. His Name Was Walter could quite possibly be my new favourite Emily Rodda book. The language is divine, the story(ies) engrossing and the conclusion is beautiful and satisfying. The tale combines history with the supernatural, friendship and humour. I shared chapter samples with my confident Year 6 readers and they were enthralled. There is so much to explore in this novel and I am already getting requests to purchase a set for Literature Circles - which I certainly will do! Highly recommended! 😀
August 25, 2019
I don't know what I expected from His Name Was Walter, the CBCA Book of the Year Winner for Younger Readers in 2019. What I go was a story about an orphan who lived his life for those around him, never shirking his responsibilities and always following his heart.
His Name Was Walter tells the story of Colin, Tara, Lucas, Grace and their school teacher Mrs Fiori. They find themselves stuck in a rundown old mansion overnight after their mini-bus breaks down. In a hidden drawer in a desk, Colin finds a beautifully illustrated, handwritten fairy tale. As everyone takes turns in reading it, the old house on the hill becomes haunted by visits from the characters in the storybook.
I enjoyed this story. It's the first Emily Rodda book I've read. I bought it based on the fact it won Childrens' Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for Younger Readers. As someone who aspires to write entertaining books for the same market, it made sense to me to read what those at the top of their game are achieving.
I'd say this book is aimed at the upper end of the readers' age limits given the nature of the story. It's hard to fault such an emotional and moving story. It was sad, it was touching, and it was ultimately highly satisfying.
His Name Was Walter tells the story of Colin, Tara, Lucas, Grace and their school teacher Mrs Fiori. They find themselves stuck in a rundown old mansion overnight after their mini-bus breaks down. In a hidden drawer in a desk, Colin finds a beautifully illustrated, handwritten fairy tale. As everyone takes turns in reading it, the old house on the hill becomes haunted by visits from the characters in the storybook.
I enjoyed this story. It's the first Emily Rodda book I've read. I bought it based on the fact it won Childrens' Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for Younger Readers. As someone who aspires to write entertaining books for the same market, it made sense to me to read what those at the top of their game are achieving.
I'd say this book is aimed at the upper end of the readers' age limits given the nature of the story. It's hard to fault such an emotional and moving story. It was sad, it was touching, and it was ultimately highly satisfying.
August 7, 2021
A well-crafted romantic story masquerading as a fairy tale; a cryptic story within a story, a book within a book. While clearly aimed at a young adult audience, it’s likely to be enjoyed by readers of any age. Not everyone in the story is the person they at first appear to be — and that’s a good thing. There are real heroes and real villains, as there ought to be in a fairy tale. There are sure to be tears along the way, because that’s the way life is — and also plenty of feel-good moments as well; so I suppose that often-overworked term “bittersweet” applies. If all of that appeals to you, you’re likely to appreciate this book, which I will now pass along to a certain thirteen-year-old, to see how it works for her.
August 8, 2018
From master storyteller, Emily Rodda, comes a stunning new story. His Name Was Walter is part mystery, part historical, part fantasy and wholly charming -sure to delight young and older readers alike.
When a small group of school children and their teacher get stranded on a lonely road while on an excursion it makes sense for them to shelter in the large house nearby. But the empty house is hiding many secrets, among them an old book with its thrilling story of young orphan Walter and his adventures, the strange people he meets and the mysterious girl named Sparrow that he sets out to rescue. As the story unfolds, the four children will encounter mysteries, history and a tale the likes of which they would never have imagined.
From the minute I first unboxed and revealed my copy of His Name Was Walter I was impressed. This book is stunning - from the sumptuous cover and design to its thrilling and touching story. The hardback cover is tactile and the cover design intriguing. The end pages allude to some of the illustrations from the story Colin and his three classmates discover. As we unboxed it, all the librarians gathered around to ohh and ahh, and we knew this was going to be a hit with students.
At first, it was a little unclear which genre His Name Was Walter would fall into. The story starts in the modern day, as a group of students become stranded and find shelter in a nearby empty house. As they find the mysterious book and start reading, elements of fantasy and mystery are introduced, from talking and anthropomorphic animals, to witches and magic. The entire copy of the book the children find is included within this book, a book within a book, made distinct by different font and introduced as the children stop and start reading, discuss the book’s events and the mystery behind it. Walter’s story is just as compelling as the children’s reaction to it.
While this story could be set anywhere - it has a classic, timeless feel - little touches, mentions of willows on riverbanks and Colin’s family farm, give it a familiar touch of Australia.
His Name Was Walter entices you in and quickly captures the reader’s attention. It is a delightful and touching story about love, with a slightly sad ending but one that is totally satisfying. Magical, imaginative, clever and original - young readers are sure to love this wonderful story.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
When a small group of school children and their teacher get stranded on a lonely road while on an excursion it makes sense for them to shelter in the large house nearby. But the empty house is hiding many secrets, among them an old book with its thrilling story of young orphan Walter and his adventures, the strange people he meets and the mysterious girl named Sparrow that he sets out to rescue. As the story unfolds, the four children will encounter mysteries, history and a tale the likes of which they would never have imagined.
From the minute I first unboxed and revealed my copy of His Name Was Walter I was impressed. This book is stunning - from the sumptuous cover and design to its thrilling and touching story. The hardback cover is tactile and the cover design intriguing. The end pages allude to some of the illustrations from the story Colin and his three classmates discover. As we unboxed it, all the librarians gathered around to ohh and ahh, and we knew this was going to be a hit with students.
At first, it was a little unclear which genre His Name Was Walter would fall into. The story starts in the modern day, as a group of students become stranded and find shelter in a nearby empty house. As they find the mysterious book and start reading, elements of fantasy and mystery are introduced, from talking and anthropomorphic animals, to witches and magic. The entire copy of the book the children find is included within this book, a book within a book, made distinct by different font and introduced as the children stop and start reading, discuss the book’s events and the mystery behind it. Walter’s story is just as compelling as the children’s reaction to it.
While this story could be set anywhere - it has a classic, timeless feel - little touches, mentions of willows on riverbanks and Colin’s family farm, give it a familiar touch of Australia.
His Name Was Walter entices you in and quickly captures the reader’s attention. It is a delightful and touching story about love, with a slightly sad ending but one that is totally satisfying. Magical, imaginative, clever and original - young readers are sure to love this wonderful story.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
September 23, 2020
I debated if this was 4 or 5 stars, but decided if I have to stop everything I'm doing (except to put wet clothes in the dryer...) then it must be 5 stars, right? The book/journal-within-a-book thing can go wrong quite easily, as it either takes over the tale or becomes glaringly obvious it's just a trope for a poorly imagined tale. This one worked almost perfectly (I quibble, but the emotions felt a bit thin, nothing was overly scary or sad or heartfelt) and I enjoyed the back-and-forth progress of the two timelines. The journal had the more developed characters and interesting plot (obviously?), and I felt the four students and their teacher could have been trimmed down by 2 or 3 members. Sure, they all had their individual type, but it wasn't elemental to the telling, and it felt like there were too many attempts to spread the action between them and create some sort of possible links to the BWAB instead of staying with the two most interested readers of the journal. Fairy tales are neat to read, especially when they are retellings of factual people, places, and things with a bit of a twist to make them enigmatic and more magical-seeming, and the way the journal used this idea was plenty fun. There were a couple weepy scenes (for me, anyway), but for the most part things are kept emotionally level, as I mentioned. This didn't detract from my reading enjoyment, and probably helped since the tale crossed several genres and it would have been hard to emphasize one without misguiding, maybe disappointing?, the reader.
My only complaints: the book cover doesn't fit the tale at all for me, AND I really wished the book had illustrations since the pictures described in the journal sounded wonderful.
My only complaints: the book cover doesn't fit the tale at all for me, AND I really wished the book had illustrations since the pictures described in the journal sounded wonderful.
August 19, 2018
Such a good reminder of what an amazing author Emily Rodda is. Read the whole book in 1 session and, like the kids in the book, needed to keep on reading to find out what happened next. Tying it to real events in history was a master stroke- can’t help thinking this would make a great read aloud for years 4-6. Loved it
August 30, 2023
hay. this book is giving walta ⚪️
it is literally KNOCKING on ma door.
like bae.
i ain’t sayin yo name.
say my name.
okay anyways review!
pros:
-very good book 😌
-sweet
-nice writing
-gud 4 rainy days with zug and a blanket 🥰
conz:
-ending was too quick 😔
-also felt a bit cliche (just the ending)
I liked the book tho. Def giving breaking bad 😈🧊
it is literally KNOCKING on ma door.
like bae.
i ain’t sayin yo name.
say my name.
okay anyways review!
pros:
-very good book 😌
-sweet
-nice writing
-gud 4 rainy days with zug and a blanket 🥰
conz:
-ending was too quick 😔
-also felt a bit cliche (just the ending)
I liked the book tho. Def giving breaking bad 😈🧊
August 11, 2019
Read for readers cup.
Moving and satisfying.
Moving and satisfying.
December 14, 2018
When Colin, Tara, Lucas, and Grace have school bus trouble and end up staying with their teacher in an abandoned old house, they never dream of what will unfold that night.
Inside the house they find a beautiful, handmade wooden desk – with a secret compartment. Inside this hidden drawer is a book, a locket and dozens of water-colour paintings. The book is full of beautiful, strange pictures of animals dressed as humans and a story of a man who was called Walter.
With nothing else to do, the group begin to read it out aloud, but soon only Colin and Tara are still interested in the story. It reads like a fairy tale at first, but the further into the story they get, the stranger it becomes – until its ominous air surrounds them.
They become torn between two forces – put the book down or keep reading to the end? An orphan, a witch, a shape shifter, and a terrible crime awaits them during their long night ahead.
Written in separate fonts – one for the present, and one for the discovered historical story being read by the students; it is clear where you are in this tale. Colin is new to the school and doesn’t know the others well, but throughout the evening, they show a little of their true selves. They are soon bound together by the clever conclusion. Great read!
Inside the house they find a beautiful, handmade wooden desk – with a secret compartment. Inside this hidden drawer is a book, a locket and dozens of water-colour paintings. The book is full of beautiful, strange pictures of animals dressed as humans and a story of a man who was called Walter.
With nothing else to do, the group begin to read it out aloud, but soon only Colin and Tara are still interested in the story. It reads like a fairy tale at first, but the further into the story they get, the stranger it becomes – until its ominous air surrounds them.
They become torn between two forces – put the book down or keep reading to the end? An orphan, a witch, a shape shifter, and a terrible crime awaits them during their long night ahead.
Written in separate fonts – one for the present, and one for the discovered historical story being read by the students; it is clear where you are in this tale. Colin is new to the school and doesn’t know the others well, but throughout the evening, they show a little of their true selves. They are soon bound together by the clever conclusion. Great read!
July 19, 2024
A book within a book so beautifully well done. Read by recommendation from @AlvinZhu , thank you friend. For a novel with the target audience as young adults this one is easily enjoyed by all. I hadn’t read an Emily Rodda book before but can see why she is as famous as she is, especially among teens. Very easy to read, really appreciated the creativity throughout
September 29, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful story recommended to me by an entire class of year 5s!
Read
December 14, 2019I ended up listening to this as an audio book because I accidently bought a CD audio book instead of the actual book online, but I think it really added to the story. The characters came alive as I listened to the narrative in my car. I actually looked forward to needing to drive anywhere. I was completely invested in Walter's story and wanted to know it would all end well in the end.
December 2, 2019
4.5 stars. This is a beautiful book that our family shared as a bedtime read. Emily Rodda is a master storyteller who writes such beautifully simple, well-crafted, satisfying stories, and this is no exception.
June 27, 2019
Loved it! Emily Rodda at her best.
December 30, 2019
Emily Rodda wrote my childhood, and it's wonderful to know she will continue making childhood's magical for years to come.
April 29, 2021
Really did enjoy this one
September 8, 2023
This is quite possibly one of my favourite books ever.
December 16, 2024
Such a wholesome little book by one of my favourite children’s authors!
August 17, 2018
A fabulous story woven together in beautiful fashion by a Emily Rodda. A story within a story that had me trying to finish each page quickly so that I could get to the next part of the story. Loved it!
December 15, 2025
a great story, well written and mystical
youth fiction but equally appealing to adults
youth fiction but equally appealing to adults
February 21, 2025
A beautifully written children's book. A story within a story, with subtle lessons to learn, fairytale elements, mystery and beautiful imagery.
September 18, 2019
Absolutely loved this book. Could not put it down.
August 3, 2018
Take a school excursion, four children and their teacher, a storm and a nearby deserted mansion and you have the beginnings of another magical offering from Emily Rodda. While taking shelter in the spooky old house Colin finds in a secret drawer an old strangely illustrated hand written book about a boy call Walter. What begins then is another story, as the original story becomes the frame of a much more imaginative narrative. The children are transfixed, as you as a reader will also be, by the tragic story of Walter and the beautiful bird girl Sparrow. This is a fascinating mix of magical realism, fantasy and Australian history. Imaginative and creative readers will be entranced.
Suitable for 10+ mystery, fantasy, contemporary, folk tale, animals.
Teacher notes: https://teachershub.com.au/wp-content...
Suitable for 10+ mystery, fantasy, contemporary, folk tale, animals.
Teacher notes: https://teachershub.com.au/wp-content...
August 14, 2021
This is a great book. I started reading it to my class as it was recommended to me by one of my students. Such a great choice. I loved the detail and creativity in it and I loved that it was a story within a story. It should be made into a story, that would be quite exciting. I don’t think I’ve ever read Emily Rodda books before but I can see why she’s such a well known author.
June 10, 2023
i am physically and mentally unwell. this book altered my brain chemistry like i dont know how to function. highly recommend this book its amazing and will forever be my favourite book, like i would do anything to read it for the first time over and over again till i die🪻
June 8, 2018
I must admit it took me a while to get into this latest book by Emily Rodda. But that was probably because as I started the first chapters I was trying to categorise it as I read. Is this a mystery? Is it fantasy? Is it history? But once I started to realise that it is actually all of these intertwined I was hooked.
I loved how the present and past characters and events reflected on each other. How, for a teacher, it is a brilliant way of demonstrating how a contemporary story can become a fairytale. There were some amazingly simple lines that were almost poetic.
“He had a few friends who were as quiet as he was himself, but the threads that held them together were frail, spun by loneliness rather than by real affection. They broke easily and without pain...”
It is a book that tempts you to reread to find all the hidden clues of the real story inside the fairytale. The only issue I had trouble with, was believing the teacher would sleep through the children being awake reading. I am happy to put that down to the magic of the house and the spirits in trying to clear Walter’s name. After all if a name is all you have it is a very important thing.
I loved how the present and past characters and events reflected on each other. How, for a teacher, it is a brilliant way of demonstrating how a contemporary story can become a fairytale. There were some amazingly simple lines that were almost poetic.
“He had a few friends who were as quiet as he was himself, but the threads that held them together were frail, spun by loneliness rather than by real affection. They broke easily and without pain...”
It is a book that tempts you to reread to find all the hidden clues of the real story inside the fairytale. The only issue I had trouble with, was believing the teacher would sleep through the children being awake reading. I am happy to put that down to the magic of the house and the spirits in trying to clear Walter’s name. After all if a name is all you have it is a very important thing.
October 11, 2018
I adored this book.
As a middle grade novel this would make a wonderful classroom read-aloud.
Well-crafted characters, both male and female, reading a story-within-a-story, while staying in an empty, haunted house.
As an adult reader, it reminded me of 'The Princess Bride' with the fairy-tale style of the parallel - which I loved.
No spoilers, but there were some modern wrap-ups in the ending, which younger readers will marvel at.
Magic, ghosts, fairy-tales, mystery and murder. This book has it all.
As a product, this book is a lovely thing. From the colour and design of the cover, to the font, chapter headings and paper. 'His name was Walter' would make a lovely gift.
As a middle grade novel this would make a wonderful classroom read-aloud.
Well-crafted characters, both male and female, reading a story-within-a-story, while staying in an empty, haunted house.
As an adult reader, it reminded me of 'The Princess Bride' with the fairy-tale style of the parallel - which I loved.
No spoilers, but there were some modern wrap-ups in the ending, which younger readers will marvel at.
Magic, ghosts, fairy-tales, mystery and murder. This book has it all.
As a product, this book is a lovely thing. From the colour and design of the cover, to the font, chapter headings and paper. 'His name was Walter' would make a lovely gift.
December 9, 2018
Oh boy, I cannot say enough about how good this book is. A junior fiction novel that gave me as much pleasure as my 9 year old. The writing is stunning, from the superb Emily Rodda. The story within a story take is thrilling, suspenseful and fantastical. The whole thing is an absolute treasure and would make a perfect shared reading experience (teachers, parents etc take note!!)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews