My Soul, A Shining Tree by Jamila Gavin

A stunning and heartbreaking new novel from Jamila Gavin, the bestselling and award-winning author of Coram Boy and The Wheel of Surya.

Based on the true story of Indian WWI gunner and recipient of the Victoria Cross, Khudadad Khan.

The story is told from four perspectives: Lotte, a Belgian farmgirl whose village is the flashpoint for a battle; Ernst, a German teenage cavalry soldier whose grandiose dreams of war lie in tatters; Khudadad Khan, the gunner fighting with the British Army; and the walnut tree that shelters them all.

Praise for My Soul, A Shining Tree:

"This is a lyrical, flawless work of writing, in which Gavin seamlessly weaves together her haunting confluence of narratives, creating an epic of less than 150 pages.” - Emily Bearn, The Telegraph

“A superbly poignant and evocative historical novel from a much-loved author.” - Imogen Russell-Williams, The Guardian

“A quietly powerful novel that is a must-read for anyone interested in the lives behind the history. Superb.” - Lucy Bannerman, The Times

“A sweeping war epic about love and courage… My Soul, a Shining Tree is a truly exceptional novel.” - Charlotte Eyre, The Bookseller

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Children’s Book of the Month in **The Bookseller (**April 2025)

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Best Children’s Books of 2025 in The Times

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About the author:

Jamila Gavin was born in Mussoorie, India, in the foothills of the Himalayas. With an Indian father and an English mother, she inherited two rich cultures which ran side by side throughout her life, and which always made her feel she belonged to both countries.

Since her first book, The Magic Orange Tree was published in 1979, she has been writing steadily, producing collections of short stories and several teenage novels for the whole age range from six to sixteen, including Grandpa Chatterji, which was short-listed for the Smarties Award and was dramatised for television on Channel 4 Schools, and The Surya Trilogy of which the first, The Wheel of Surya, was runner-up for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award in 1992.

Her book, Coram Boy, a novel for young adults, was published to critical acclaim in 2000 and won the Children’s Whitbread Award, as well as being short listed for the Carnegie Medal. It was subsequently adapted for the stage and had two highly successful runs at the National Theatre in 2005/6. A film of Coram Boy is also in the planning with Alan Parker as writer and director.

Jamila has lived in Gloucestershire for over thirty years. She is a regular visitor to the schools and libraries all over the country.