The World of Vashti Hardy
Vashti Hardy is the award-winning author of fantasy books for children. Her unbeatable world-building, fast-paced storytelling and memorable characters bring magic and adventure to STEM topics. Welcome to the world of Vashti Hardy!
“Hardy has drunk from the same cup as Philip Reeve and Philip Pullman.” – Literary Review
Vashti Hardy splits her time between Brighton and Lancashire. She was a primary school teacher for several years, and has a special interest in children’s writing, especially free-writing and the use of journals and creating fantasy worlds. She has a first-class honours teaching degree with English specialism and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Chichester. Vashti is an alumni member and writing buddy of The Golden Egg Academy. Her debut, Brightstorm, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2019 and her second novel, Wildspark, won the Blue Peter Book Award 2020.
Recommeded for ages 8+
Shortlisted for the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize 2019
Twins Arthur and Maudie receive word that their father died in a failed attempt to reach South Polaris. But a mysterious clue leads the twins to question the story they’ve been told, and they join the crew of a new exploration attempt in the hope of learning the truth. Will Arthur and Maudie find the answers they seek?
Download free resources to bring the Brightstorm adventure stories into your classroom
“I remember opening Brightstorm and reading the first few pages like it was yesterday. I knew I had something very magical and special in my hands and I simply could not put it down. It was at that point I realised the power it would have in my classroom. The potential for the children to immerse themselves and fully join in the adventure every step of the way excited me greatly. The idea of the Brightstorm scrap books was born. We lived every second alongside the Brightstorm crew and the power it had was transformative in terms of the quality and content of writing produced. This will be the third year I will use Brightstorm and I can’t put in to words how wonderful the experience is for me and the children I teach.” – Ceridwen Eccles @Teacherglitter
“Brightstorm season (also known as the second half of the summer term) is my favourite time of year. Brightstorm is a perfect story for Key Stage 2, either as a class novel or something to base a whole term of cross-curricular work on! Arthur and Maudie’s journey across The Great Wide inspired us to create some of our best work of the year: letters, diaries, recipes, poetry, oil pastels, 3D prints and a sea shanty! The story inspired and engaged all the children as they were swept along in the Aurora. The culmination of the project was the Explorer Training Day when children found out if they had what it took to become part of the crew. Ernest Brightstorm would have been very impressed!” – Wil Baker @MrWilBaker
Recommeded for ages 8+
Winner of the Blue Peter Award 2020.
In Medlock, a secretive guild of inventors have brought spirits of the dead back into the world, harnessing them in animal-like machines. Young Prue has joined as an apprentice, but she’s on a mission of her own: to bring her brother back to life. To find him, she needs to get the ghost machines to remember the people they used to be.
Download free resources to bring Wildspark into your classroom
Recommeded for ages 7+
“A joyful mash-up of robots, conservationism and school story” – The Guardian
Join Harley, her robot dog Sprocket and best friend Cosmo for problem-solving adventures and mysteries in Inventia, a world where science rules and technology grows in the forest; and where exploding science projects, giant slugs and runaway robots are all part of a normal school day.
With lively, humorous illustrations by George Ermos.
Download free resources to bring Harley Hitch into your classroom
Recommeded for ages 8+
Ironhold is an orderly place where “industry brings prosperity”, and where nature is pushed aside for progress. But when Orin Crowfall, a lowly servant boy, learns that the island itself is in grave danger, that knowledge makes him a target of powerful forces.
He narrowly escapes on a small boat, but then faces a fight for survival with his robot friend, Cody, in the stormy ocean, pursued by a terrifying sea monster. Can they make it to safety, somewhere beyond the horizon? And will Orin find a way back to save his family before everything is destroyed?
Download free resources to bring Crowfall into your classroom
