Gus and the Starlight

By: Victoria Carless

Narrated by: Edwina Wren

A spine-tingling and heart-warming story about friendship and finding your special place in the world.

Gus doesn't want to make friends. She also doesn't want to be intrigued by the cat-lady teacher at her new school, or the Riley's Comet project that she and her seaweed-eating science partner are working on together.

And she definitely doesn't want to fall in love with her job as the projectionist at the Starlight, a drive-in movie theatre that her family is reviving.

Because, knowing Gus's luck, she and her family could be moving on in a day, or a week, or a month. When the ghosts that haunt Mum catch up with them. Or if the Starlight doesn't succeed.

Then she'll have to say goodbye. Again.

And saying goodbye is too hard.

PRAISE FOR GUS AND THE STARLIGHT

'A magical middle-grade book with a feather-light fantastical touch that wonderfully helps the young protagonist figure out their complex and confusing family; the hope they have in their heart for a fresh start, and the ways that the past can haunt and help us. Just—stunning!'

—Danielle Binks, award-winning author of The Year the Maps Changed

'An utterly captivating tale of family, friends and a haunted drive-in cinema, told with gentle humour and poignant moments that tug on the heart-strings.'

—Kate Forsyth, best-selling and award-winning author of The Chain of Charms series

'What a beautifully-put-together middle grade novel. Victoria has done such a great job of bringing this tale to life. Gus is a wonderful hero and I was cheering for her and the Ables the whole way. This has the perfect mix of feels, humour and pathos, and a sprinkle of supernatural!'

—Karen Foxlee, award-winning author of Lenny's Book of Everything and Dragon Skin

'A novel that is as full of heart as it is ghosts. Charming, exciting, poignant. An enchanting debut.'

—Rebecca McRitchie, award-winning author of the Whimsy & Woe and Jinxed! series

'A delightfully offbeat ghost story, featuring cinema, snacks, school projects and the joy of second chances.'

—Jaclyn Moriarty, award-winning author of The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone

'A moving and haunting read. This magical and quintessentially Australian tale is all about storytelling and how we have the capacity to rewrite our own destinies.'

—Yvette Poshoglian, best-selling author of the Ella and Olivia series

'A lovely, quirky, heart-warming story, about ghosts and movies and finding a home.'

—Judith Rossell, award-winning author of Withering-by-Sea

'Quirky, sweetly nostalgic and deeply immersive. A book that quickly became a treasured friend.'

—Jen Storer, award-winning author of the Truly Tan series

©2022 Victoria Carless (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers