The Edge of the Silver Sea (Paperback or Softback)

A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of 2025

A Bank Street Best Book of the Year 2026

"A hundred miles from the mainland, half in the sea, half out of it. The rules are different here..." This wild and fantastical middle-grade adventure is steeped in Celtic folklore and is perfect for fans of Sophie Anderson.

All 13-year-old Blair Zielinski wants is a way off the remote Scottish island her parents have dragged her to. Roscoe is home to thousands of deer, a couple of hundred people, a complete lack of cell signal, and some unusual violet-eyed creatures.

Blair is miserable, until an otherworldly woman with antlers, one of the island's darkly magical fey folk, offers her an irresistible deal: complete three tasks and Blair's wish will be granted.

As she unravels the island's secrets, Blair soon discovers that a fey bargain cannot be broken, and her wish has put everyone on Roscoe at risk. Can Blair find a way to save her family, and the place at the edge of the silver sea that she has come to call home?

This wildly magical upper middle-grade fantasy explores family and friendship, the balance between humans and nature, and the people and places we embrace as our own. The Edge of the Silver Sea deftly weaves Celtic mythology and folklore with themes of environmentalism. This is the captivating US debut from Alex Mullarky: a bold new voice in children's fiction.

Alex Mullarky is a writer and veterinary nurse whose work with wildlife inspires their stories about nature and magic. They can often be found wild swimming, playing roller derby, or running along the beach with their dog Finn. Alex lives with their family near Edinburgh, Scotland.