The Girl of Ink and Stars

Where it came from

Kiran Millwood Hargrave was a poet before writing this book, her debut novel, and travelled a lot when she was younger. The main character in the book, Isabella, is based on one of her cousins, who lives in New Delhi. The island of Joya is inspired by her trip to La Gomera, the smallest Canary Island - which has volcanoes and its own myths.

Where it went next

The book was a great success, winning the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017 and the British Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year, as well as being shortlisted for others.

Associated stories

Kiran Millwood Hargrave has since written widely across adult, young adult, and children’s fiction. Her adult novels include The Mercies (2020), The Dance Tree (2023), and Almost Life (2026), all known for their lyrical style and historical or folkloric themes.

Her young adult novel The Deathless Girls (2019) reimagines a gothic origin story, blending myth, history, and teenage resilience.

For younger readers: The Island at the End of Everything, The Way Past Winter, and A Secret of Birds & Bone. She also collaborated with Tom de Freston on the illustrated novels Julia and the Shark (2021) and Leila and the Blue Fox (2022), which explore science, nature, and emotion.

Her fantasy sequence, the Geomancer series, includes In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen (2023), The Storm and the Sea Hawk (2024), The Wolf Trials (2025), and The Ship of Strays (2025), offering epic adventure and elemental magic for confident readers.

Her work has received international prizes for The Mercies, and multiple honours for Julia and the Shark, reflecting her impact across age groups and genres.