Reviews: Into Thin Air (2)
“A fine mystery.”
(Paperback)
Yes, this is a story about family and resilience, but it's also a mystery.
When Luna's dad disappears in the night, and he's not gone to see her granny, Anxious Luna and her bouncy younger sister, Jade, set out on a mission to find him. As with all good mysteries, it leads them to unexpected places, and, ends with a gripping final third. S E Durrant is a fine writer, and her sparse style heightens the tension in the book. Her characters are clear, well drawn and believable, dragging the reader further and further into the story, until you HAVE to know how it concludes. Perfect for fans of Lisa Thompson, or Cath Howe.
I heartily recommend. 8+
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.
“A Beautiful and Moving Adventure That Shines with Positivity and Hope During Adversity”
(Paperback)
" I wish Dad would come back so he can tell us what's happening and everything can get back to normal.. Because he's the one who helps me make sense of the world and without him nothing feels right."
Having enjoyed S.E Durrant's previous books Running on Empty and Little Bits of Sky, a new publication is a treat.
Into Thin Air tells the story of Luna and her sister Jade; one night their dad packs his car with bags and other items and vanishes. Where has he gone? When will he back ? Life has been a challenge for the two sisters after their parents lost their business - The Centre of the Universe cafe- and financially everything is struggle and now with dad going they are lost and confused.
Luna has a passion about space and dreams to one day be an astronaut; she logs into the international space station website every day to watch events in particular an astronaut called Mimi who she aspires to be- this gives her a sense of calm.
The two sisters and their friend Casey start to search for the truth about the girl's dad's disappearance - strange visitors to the house and school challenges leave Luna feeling anxious- she counts prime numbers to give herself understanding and eases her troubles- can maths genius ever be accepted?
This is a moving and powerful read. The dynamic between the sisters is spot on as their love and support to each other is entwined with frustrations. Jade is the eternal upbeat optimist whilst Luna is more introspective. The ways by which they look out for one another is at the heart of the book.
A beautifully crafted adventure story about friendship and family and finding your way forward with positivity when everything around feels like its collapsing .
Highly recommended for 9-12 year olds / upper KS 2 class read,
An absolute winner from Nosy Crow Books and S. E. Durrant.
Thank you to Nosy Crow and Netgalley for the advance copy for an honest review.
" When things feel difficult here on Earth, I imagine I'm in a rocket breaking through gravity and leaving the world behind."
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
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Into Thin Air
Children's, Age 9-12
S. E. Durrant (author)
Paperback Published on: 13/08/2026
Price: £7.99

