Away With Words by Sophie Cameron

Pages: 288 

Publisher: Little Tiger 

Released: 11th of May 2023 

Set in a world where words appear physically when people speak, AWAY WITH WORDS explores the importance of communication and being there for those we love.

Gala and her dad, Jordi, have just moved from home in Catalonia to a town in Scotland, to live with Jordi’s boyfriend Ryan. Gala doesn’t speak much English, and feels lost, lonely and unable to be her usual funny self. Until she befriends Natalie, a girl with selective mutism. The two girls find their own ways to communicate, which includes collecting other people's discarded words. They use the words to write anonymous supportive poems for their classmates, but then someone begins leaving nasty messages using the same method – and the girls are blamed. Gala has finally started adapting to her new life in Scotland and is determined to find the culprit. Can she and Natalie show the school who they really are?

What I Have to Say 

I adored this book. The idea of words manifesting into physical form when speaking aloud was just so fascinating to read and the fact that the characters then used the words to make art out of was very satisfying. I loved all the descriptions of the different colours and shapes of the words and the way they were put onto the page as well made this a really interesting book to read. 

I loved the main characters and the fact that they both had their own struggles made the book interesting. This book covered so many topics from moving countries and learning a whole new language, to selective mutism to bullying, it also brushed over a few other topics lightly with what the people at school were going through. 

I think this is a great book for any 9-12 child to read and also a great read for the grown ups. 

5 stars 

My thanks goes to Little Tiger and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review.