Coming in September 2026, The Library of Lost Stories is full of my favourite things: a vintage mobile library, the magic of Christmas and community, the joy of books and the power of friendship, all set in a very special year – 1976. This is a treasure of a book full of beautiful truths and healing broken hearts. It is one I was drawn to immediately and will stay with me for a very long time.
11-year-old Noni lives in a small Welsh town of Aberglas. The nearby Aberfan mining disaster 10 years earlier has had a profound effect on the town and an even bigger effect on her family. Her mum’s heart was broken by the disaster and she’s been gone for five years. Her dad’s heart broke when mum died and it seems there’s nothing Noni can do to fix it. Now, the bailiffs are knocking, she’s always hungry and she can’t face the kids at school – there’s no where to turn.
As Christmas approaches, Noni is desperate to help her dad. Discovering the dilapidated mobile library van abandoned in the local witch’s garden was where her parents originally fell in love gives her an idea. If only she can fix up the van, maybe her dad will find hope again. A group of new friends (and a charming stray dog) each bring their talents to the project. Noni realises she needs to be honest with them and learn to trust if anything is going to change.
Eloise Williams has captured the vibrancy of life in 1970’s Wales. Through rich imagery of time and place, readers are transported back 50 years to an era they’ve never known but can picture in their mind’s eye. Local expressions and the power of language bring life to the story emphasising the importance of sharing our own stories and keeping local history alive. There is no greater truth than Noni’s statement: “We are all made of stories.” Stories of family and community draw people together, building the trust and hope we all need.
Thank you to Firefly Press for this beautiful book! Sensitive yet powerful, it is one of the best books for children I have read in a very long time.
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