Through the glass, the magic is waiting…

Nona and her uncle travel everywhere together, replacing stained-glass windows in war-torn buildings throughout England. One day a mysterious commission takes them to the lonely moors of Dartmoor, where a wild and powerful magic threatens everything that Nona holds dear. Can she find the courage to protect those she loves – even if it means fighting darkness itself?

A beautifully imaginative and rich adventure about determination, courage and the power of love, set in the aftermath of World War Two.

A LoveMyRead children’s book pick of 2020

“Glassheart is a roaring fire of a book… at its heart this is a story about putting the world back to rights after terrible events.”

– LoveMyReads Team, curated by Frank Cottrell-Boyce & Malorie Blackman

“Orton’s fantastical world is creepily drawn; even better is her understanding of grief, suffering and healing.”

– The Observer

“With echoes of Susan Cooper, this has all the feel of a classic.”

– Sarah Baker, author of Through the Mirror Door and Eloise Undercover

“Glassheart shimmers with magic and adventure… A story that left a sparkling splinter in my soul.”

–Damaris Young, author of The Switching Hour and The Creature Keeper

Three things about Glassheart

1

Like Nona and Uncle Antoni, I used to work with stained glass, cutting and selling it as well as teaching courses. One of my colleagues was a former monk!

2

The rattlesticks were partly inspired by the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”, which I always thought was pretty unintentionally creepy. That’s where the idea of sticks and stones coming to life and trying to catch people came from.

3

When you’re writing, characters sometimes take on a life of their own – and this was definitely true of Castor. He kept causing mischief by revealing that he knew secrets, but not telling me what they were… which was a big problem, because I was the one writing the story!