When Jamie and Ned discover a merman on the beach, Jamie hopes it will be able to cure his sick brother. A moving fable set in the eighties: E.T. meets A Monster Calls. Nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2016

Jamie and Ned are twins. They do everything together: riding their bikes, beachcombing outside their house, watching their favourite episodes of Star Trek. But Ned is sick, and one day, he may leave Jamie behind. When they discover a strange creature on the beach, Ned wants one more adventure and decides to keep him secretly in their garage. But Jamie begins to hope that the creature might bring some miracle, and stop his brother from going where he can no longer follow . . .

"Reminiscent of David Almond at his finest." - Metro

"Avery really excels in this quiet depiction of fraternal love and devotion. The portrait of illness is delivered subtly and sensitively. A completely immersive and magical experience." - We Love This Book

"Moving, packed with personality and fun references to its 80s setting. Enchanting and special." - Booktrust

"Absolutely spell-binding. Avery's storytelling has an effortless quality to it. Heartbreakingly beautiful." - Moontrug Blog

"A powerful mix of the retelling of old stories and myths and references to the newer folklore wrought by science fiction film and television" - CLPE