In a world were spoken words can be seen, a girl uses those words to find her voice again.
Gala was just moved away from Catalonia to nowhere Scotland by her dad, Jordi. She has trouble expressing herself and is not happy. She ends up meeting a girl who also cannot talk at school and the two connect.

This was a very fast read and I really enjoyed it. I got so mad on the main character's behalf at times and I hate that her feelings were so often brushed away. She didn't get the recognition she deserved at the end in my opinion.
This was a very interesting world and I love the idea of seeing the words that are being spoken and using those to make sentences. I really loved that whole concept and I really got into the story. I really liked Gala too.
This was a great read and I really must read more from Sophie Cameron.

Gala and her dad have moved from their home in Spain to Scotland to live with her dad’s boyfriend Ryan. Gala never wanted to leave her friends or school behind and she’s struggling to settle into her new life. Then she meets Natalie, a shy girl with selective mutism. Like Gala, Natalie collects other people’s words but Natalie uses them to write beautiful poems. As their friendship blossoms, Gala and Natalie begin to write positive poems for their classmates. However, someone else is leaving much nastier poems and Gala and Natalie are the prime suspects. Can they find out who is really behind them? Away With Words is a beautiful, gripping story about the power and wonder of words and language. It’s about feeling alone and isolated in a place that you don’t understand but finding your own comfort and strength within it. I loved the mystery aspect so much and the gorgeous idea that words are physical things. I also loved the ambiguity around whether the words really contain the colours and feelings that the girls associate with them or whether this is just how they see them. A truly unique, imaginative tale that champions outsiders alongside some stunning, magical imagery.

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.

I absolutely devoured this one. It written so beautifully and thoughtfully, really capturing the emotions of Gala.

Love the very slight blend of the fantastical - how our words can be picked up and reused, how their colour reflects the tone with which they were used. What a clever concept.

A gorgeous novel that celebrates language and acknowledges the importance of identity and being true to you.

Absolutely incredible writing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.

Gosh, this is beautiful. Home, family, not home. Words, language, misunderstandings. Learning new ways of living, missing old ways. Gala is a gorgeous main character and I loved this concept of words having form and colour and shape. This was perfect sunny reading!

This is a gorgeous and extraordinary story about a young girl displaced from Spain to Fortrose, in Scotland. There, Gala struggles with homesickness, misses her friends, her room, her familiar food and everything else about home, while struggling to manage a new school, a new family set up and a new language.
Language is at the core of the story, partly because of Gala's difficulty grasping what people are saying to her, but also due to a unique and startling little mechanic. In this world, words have shape and form. They fall from people's lips in a variety of fonts and colours, clinging to their clothing or gathering in piles on the floor. Most people just discard them, and they're gathered into bins to fade away after a few days, but Gala meets Natalie, a girl with selective mutism, for whom words also have special value. Natalie likes to pick up words and keep them safe, and together Gala and Natalie begin to find new uses for discarded words.

It's a really clever idea, and it is used so well throughout the book. The typography is perfect too, with words occasionally breaking free of their lines as best fits the story.

Away With Words is a beautiful book about language, how we see it, and its power both to heal and to harm. It's also a story about feeling like you don't fit in and about finding your place in the world.

In a Nutshell: A touching middle-grade work focussing on the difficulties of traversing through new places and new experiences. What makes the whole story experience special is that it is set in a world where words appear physically when people speak. Good for the target age group.

Story Synopsis:
Eleven year old Gala’s dad Jordi has relocated them both from Cadaqués, Spain to Fortrose, Scotland, so that he can live with his boyfriend Ryan. Gala isn’t happy about the move as she speaks only Catalan. She feels quite lost in her new school and unable to express her feelings with words. Things begin to change the day she meets Natalie, a girl with selective mutism. With Natalie’s inability to speak in public and Gala’s inability to speak in English, the two form a strong bond based on their own special ways of communication. They even use words to write supportive poems for their classmates. But someone then begins writing poems with nasty messages. Will Gala and Natalie be able to speak up for themselves?
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Gala.


Bookish Yays:
🌹 I loved the setting where words become real. They are not only visible but can also be collected and either kept or discarded into the trash. They come in varied hues, fonts, and sizes. It was quite surreal to picture, but I had a fun time imagining the same. I also pondered over whether I would like to live in such a world with visible words. I don’t have an answer to this query yet.
🌹 Through the visible words, the book also highlights the power of words, language and communication.
🌹 Gala’s frustration with her new school and new life in Fortrose because of her lack of ability to communication in English is portrayed well. The author had a smart way of indicating how Gala’s processing of people’s spoken English – she used squiggly lines to indicate the blanks in Gala’s comprehension. Any child who feels frustrated about not being able to communicate either because of a new location/school or because of innate shyness, will be able to identify with Gala.
🌹 At the same time, the book also highlights the importance of friendship, not just through Gala and Natalie, but also through their connection with some of the other kids in their class. The two Eilidhs were especially lovely.
🌹 The book also covers some important themes such as bullying and social anxiety disorders and how the latter can exist even in happy families. Natalie’s selective mutism lends itself to some thought-provoking scenes. The book also highlights how children can feel unhinged and helpless in the face of adult decisions, and how they need support and encouragement to make it through the change. The book also focusses on the difficulties and benefits of being multi-lingual speakers.
🌹 The bond between Jordi and Ryan comes out beautifully. I liked how the same-sex relationship was written without going over the top about the “two dads” factor. It was a realistic depiction.
🌹 Ryan has two fabulous dogs, one named Celine and one named Dion. Need I say more?
🌹 The location of Scotland is beautifully depicted, with the focus being not just on the places but also on the lifestyle and attitudes of the locals.


Bookish Nays:
🌵 The problem with having a first person perspective for this book was that we read all of Gala's thoughts and apprehensions in English, a language she wasn't fluent in and yet voicing her thoughts so well in. This created a jarring contradiction between what was being said and the language it was being said in.
🌵 I am not into poems, so while I appreciated the efforts of the two girls, I couldn’t feel as emotionally moved. Somehow, the writing kept me at a distance.
🌵 The book offers a somewhat different perspective of bullying, one that I am still undecided about whether to agree with or not. I get what the author was trying to do, but I am not convinced by the rationale. Cant reveal more as I don’t wish to go into spoilers. But just want to say: a bully with a backstory is still a bully unless he/she stops being one. There’s no justification for bullying others.
🌵It goes mostly as expected, with no surprises along the way. This is why it didn’t work better for me, though MG fiction is among my favourite genres. Of course, the target age group might not have the same requirement of wanting surprises.

Overall, this is an impactful read for middle-graders, covering several important topics through two strong little girls. The quick and easy writing is a bonus.
Would recommend you read the physical copy to see the proper effect of the words and their appearance. The Kindle version didn’t create the same impact.
Recommended to middle-graders looking for an unusual story about the power of words and the value of friendship, especially in a new location.

3.75 stars.


My thanks to Little Tiger Group and NetGalley for the DRC of “Away With Words”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Away With Words is a truly exceptional story that completely gripped me: a story of family and friendship, of finding a way to be listened to and heard, and of the power of language.

Gala has moved with her dad from their home in Cadaqués in Spain to Fortrose in Scotland to live with her dad’s boyfriend, Ryan. Gala did not have a choice in the move and does not want to be there. She misses her old life, desperate to return to her friends, her flat, her grandmother and to be herself again. On her first day at her new school, she feels overwhelmed and lonely, barely understanding any of the words that fall from the mouths of those around her, as she is learning to speak English.

Gala lives in a world where words appear physically as they are spoken and where colours and fonts reflect emotions and give insight into their owner. Whilst most people ignore the fallen words as they are swept away or fade after a few days, Gala is surprised to find a girl taking someone else’s words. She discovers that this girl is Natalie who shares that she has an anxiety disorder, selective mutism, which means that she is unable to speak in school.

The girls find ways to communicate, and soon become firm friends. Natalie is an avid reader of words, and saves the words she collects that others have so easily created, using them to write poetry. When Natalie gives Gala a poem that she has written for her using the words she has gathered from her word-searching, they have a profound effect on Gala, having the power to make her feel better. The girls decide to write poems and secretly leave them for others who are in need of cheering up. This has the desired effect until someone else starts sending messages that are full of meanness … can Gala and Natalie prove that they are not behind the nasty messages … can they find a way to communicate which will allow them to be truly listened to and heard?

This is an incredible story that captured me wholeheartedly. I was completely fascinated by the concept of words manifesting physically, and even more so by the associated synaesthetic perceptions. The friendship which develops between Gala and Natalie is just gorgeous and I loved how they took risks and supported each other, but also how they reached out to others who they sensed were hurting too.

Words hold such power – the power to hurt and to heal, to blame and to free, and to hide and reveal. The courage and strength that both girls show as they unite to fight to have their truth heard brought tears – I found the imagery used beautifully poignant and it is something I will never forget.

This is a powerful, thought-provoking and moving story that certainly does have a magical way with words. A must-read for those of 11+.

It was hard to get into at first. I don’t know whether it was the layout on Kindle or it being a proof copy but the discarded words were hard to make sense of. I was also initially confused by the missing words in speech. Sometimes it was explained as Gala not getting the words but other times it wasn’t. As the book progressed I got used to it and accepted the gaps, seeing them as part of Gala’s challenges with a new language.

It was an interesting way to look at words and how they can be used for good or bad and the difference they can make as to how others feel. I thought it was clever the way the author explained why taking and using other people’s words was seen so negatively. Natalie’s selective mutism was handled well and I loved the ending.

I read Our Sister Again by Sophie Cameron last year and really enjoyed it so I was looking forward to reading Away With Words when I heard about it and it didn't disappoint me. This was another strong contemporary book set in Scotland with a twist, this time that in the world they live in you can see other people's words.

This book follows Gala who has moved from Spain to Scotland with her dad to live with his partner. At her new school she meets Natalie who collects words and together they start collecting words together and creating kind poems for other in their year but when someone starts making mean poems mimicking theirs they are determined to find out who is doing it and stop them.

I really enjoyed this book and loved the friendship that Gala and Natalie developed together. The friendship that Gala also formed with Eilidh O was another really good friendship that warmed my heart throughout the later chapters of the book.
It was really nice to see how Gala gradually adjusted to living in Scotland and how much her opinion of the place changed towards the end of the book.
The concept of being able to see other people's words was really interesting as well as collecting and preserving those words. I also really like how Gala and Natalie used other people's words both struggling with English and speaking themselves respectively. Through the words Gala manages to develop her English and become more confident while Natalie uses them to express herself. Natalie struggles with selective mutism through the book which I felt was written well and in a way that was easy to understand and relate to.
I also loved the setting of Scotland, Fortrose, the dolphins and the fact that there were two characters who share my name!

Overall a great read that I highly recommend and release I am highly anticipating from a strong Scottish author. I am also someone who's also always looking for more good books set in Scotland this is definitely a good one to add to my list

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is so unique and playful and creative.
The Jain character Gala has moved from Spain to Scotland and is struggling to settle in to a world with a new language and feeling incredibly home sick. She notices a girl in her school who is all alone, who has selective mutism and becomes her friend. The story is so much about friendship but primarily it’s about language and the beauty of words, it’s about how it connects people and how it can be a barrier. The magical realism of words littering our world as people say them, makes you really think about not wasting our own words and how the words we use are so important. This author is incredibly creative and incredible at immerse you in the story, her unique way of storytelling allows the reader to understand the main character even more. As a reader, you can feel and see the language barrier and frustration that comes with that but you also see it change and develop. The imagination and heart in this story is wonderful and the way words and language is explored is amazing. Honestly, this book is a great learning and yea hing tool when it comes to breaking down barriers, understanding difference and celebrating connections. I felt really immersed in the struggles for the main character due to the unique storytelling and I believe this would be a great book for children to study too!

What a beautiful book. Gala's difficulty with adjusting to her new life and Natalie's selective mutism ran parallel throughout the story as their friendship grew. The bullying was illustrated as symptoms of someone who was deeply unhappy, they weren't a monster, just a very scared child.
Just one small thing, I'd love to know of a school where the teachers finish at the same time as the students...
It reminded me very much of Sarah Crossan's books, and that can only be a good thing.

Communication across boundaries. Friendship, family and finding your place - and voice.

I was enchanted by the idea - in Gala's world, words are visible. Parents can literally collect their babies' first words. Words can get stuck in your teeth and need to be flossed out. School cleaners sweep the corridors clear of students chatter every evening. And they come in different colours, shapes, showing emotion and character. Amazing!

Now in this world, drop two girls. Gala. Brought by her Dad from Cataluña to live with his boyfriend teacher in Scotland, the talkative girl is thrown into an unfamiliar world and a new language. Natalie. Selectively mute, she too struggles amongst her peers, who she cannot communicate with for a different reason.

Yet the two form a bond when Gala notices Natalie collecting other people's dropped words, which she discovers the girl makes into creative pieces. Learning of other students going through hard times, they decide to form their recycled language into poems to lift spirits and bring hope and kindness to others, when they struggle to express these things themselves.

How wonderful is that? Ohhh I want to exist in a world where words are visible! It was enchanting. The story moves the pair into a situation where their kind hobby shines a spotlight on them both, forcing them to have to openly speak out in a way neither would normally have confidence doing.

It might be that family and friends give them the strength they need to stand up for themselves, their actions and show the world who they both really are, and be proud of that.

Loved both the protagonists, Gala has a wonderful character, a dollop of selfishness totally appropriate to her age and situation, she's kind and brave, with Natalie adding the eccentric flair that brings out her own. Her dad's same-sex relationship is portrayed matter-of-factly and sympathetically, with the family issues she's experiencing resolved within the context of her own school story.

Uplifting and language-loving tale for ages 10-14.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

Last summer I really enjoyed Our Sister Again. It dealt with the difficult subject of bereavement and death of a child sensitively through the magical thinking that Joan Didion uses in her great essays from A Year of Magical Thinking.
In this new middle grade/YA Cameron has again used elements of fantasy to movingly explore real issues that face young people.
Gala has moved from Spain where she easily moved between Catalan and Spanish to northern Scotland where she must navigate through a new life with her Dad and his boyfriend in a small community. Once exuberant she becomes silent; once gregarious she becomes lonely. She befriends Natalie, a classmate whose anxiety has isolated her. Natalie’s selective mutism and Gala’s struggle to communicate in English create a bond for the two girls. What’s beautiful about this world, however, is that words and conversations leave traces. Natalie and Gala start collecting their own and other people’s words to communicate, to reflect and to encourage.
It’s a beautiful concept and it’s naturally and authentically drawn in this otherwise thoroughly realistic world.
A lovely heartwarming story of friendship, family and belonging. A love story to words.

Sophie Cameron has another emotional rollercoaster of a book on her hands. She has such a skill in portraying somewhat complex issues in the most accessible way. Stunning!

Sophie Cameron has done it once again - I am always in awe at the way she can take such big, complex topics and make them approachable to young audiences while still doing them justice and never feeling like she has to dumb anything down for her audience. As someone who has previously moved from a non-English speaking country to an English speaking country with accents unlike those most familiar with via TV etc as youngin, this sure made me relive some ~trauma, which is probably the highest compliment I can give it, since the novel did such a fantastic job at capturing that experience.
Anything that explores linguistics and cultural displacement, and I love quirky takes of magical realism, so this was definitely my cup of tea even though I am nowhere near the target audience.
I'd say fans of WONDER would particularly enjoy this heartfelt story of difference and acceptance.

I loved this book. The idea that people can see your words as you speak was just fascinating. I really loved seeing how Gala's relationship with the new people in her life and with the new country she'd moved to developed as she became more confident at the language. But I also love how her friendship with Natalie isn't focussed on the spoken word. I think the way Natalie and Gala find their voice through collecting other people's words shows how valuable each word is to them and how they can be so easy for other people that they get wasted. This book also shows how words can be used to lift people up or to hurt and tear people down. I definitely thinks some amazing conversations could be started by using this book in the classroom.

I loved this! Such a clever and original concept. When people speak, the words can be seen as well as heard. Words hang in the air and fall to the ground, shaped and coloured to reflect the mood and situation of the speaker, ready to be swept up at the end of the day or left to fade away. Or to be collected. Gala has moved from Spain with her dad, to live in Scotland with his boyfriend. She is learning to speak English and desperately misses her home in Spain. She meets another girl, Natalie, who has her own difficulties with spoken English and the two new friends begin writing poems, using their collected words, to cheer up their classmates. This goes well and the poems make lots of people happy, until someone copies the idea but sends unkind messages instead. Gala and Natalie have a lot to overcome if they are to convince everyone that they are not behind the latest set of poems.

CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO EXPRESS HOW INCREDIBLE THIS IS! Holding back the full review until nearer the publication date, but this is one of the most beautiful explorations of language, the power of words, and communication in general I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Brave, clever, and innovative, Away With Words demonstrates the very best of what children's fiction can do - it's pure, lyrical magic from start to finish.