Valley of the Vikings – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Vikings, mer-people, fantasy, destruction, salvation.
Children’s book title:Valley of the Vikings.
Children’s author: Liz Kessler.
Genre: Children’s fiction.
Published by: Zephyr.
ISBN: 9781035916955.
Recommended for children aged: 8+ year-olds.
First published: Paperback May 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: a looking at environmental issues from a different angle.
To see the latest price or order, click on the book cover image. As an Amazon Associate schoolreadinglist.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
Our review:
Emily Windsnap is half-human, half-mermaid, and so has a unique perspective on life. One of her best friends, Mandy, is human, while another, Shona, is a mermaid. Finally, Aaron is semi-mer, like her. While visiting Shona, Emily discovers a beautiful bracelet caught in rocks deep underwater. The gemstone is extremely rare but is recognised by Aaron and Neptune, for whom Emily’s dad works. The three friends decide to investigate further.
What they find both delights and horrifies them, especially when they realise they have mere days to save the planet! When Neptune refuses to listen, they turn to Thor and plead their case with him. However, both gods are used to getting their own way in everything, and saving the world has never been part of their plans. Can Emily convince them of the seriousness of the situation, or will everything she knows be lost forever?
Our verdict:
Valley of the Vikings can be interpreted in different ways depending on your age, viewpoint, and experiences. On the surface, it is a middle-grade fantasy novel about mermaids, Vikings, and the legendary gods Neptune and Thor. It is action-packed throughout and undeniably fun to read. However, it also contains strong environmental messages that are easily applicable to real life.
In the book, Neptune and Thor’s extensive and irresponsible mining, driven by their insatiable greed, leads to the destruction of vast areas of the natural underwater environment. These two gods can be seen as stand-ins for certain large corporations and the environmental damage they cause today. At the same time, the story reflects the growing awareness among middle graders and young adults of environmental issues – and the difficulties of persuading those in power to acknowledge or address them.
The fantasy and timeless elements of the story soften its serious themes. Of course, in reality, a couple of quick conversations – like those in the book – aren’t going to solve anything. But this is children’s fiction, and unfortunately, fantasy and reality are two very different things. Nevertheless, the book provides an excellent starting point for discussions about the dangers facing our planet, which is undoubtedly a positive outcome.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- Emily has a very exciting life, but how difficult do you think it would be to attend two completely different schools with two separate sets of friends?
- The environmental message in this story focuses on something that happened under the sea a thousand years ago. What is happening to our oceans and marine life right now?
- In the book, Emily and her friends confront both Neptune and Thor with varying degrees of success, but ultimately, they manage to save the day. In real life, how do you think people can work together to protect the planet?
- Do things like recycling, avoiding single-use plastics, and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels help safeguard our world? What other actions can we take?
Many thanks to Zephyr for the review copy.
To order a class set of this book, please click below to order via uk.bookshop.org, an organisation that supports local bookshops, or Amazon.co.uk.
Buy from UK.Bookshop.Org Buy from Amazon.co.uk
Disclosure: If you buy books using the buttons above: we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops; as an Amazon Associate schoolreadinglist.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
Browse our Year 4 reading list.
