The wind child - Gabriela Houston

Packed with a colourful Slavic cast of tempestuous gods and frightening monsters, The Wind Child is above all a story about friendship, and how far you would go and what you would sacrifice to avoid saying goodbye to someone you love. No human has ever returned from Navia,theSlavic afterlife.But twelve-year-old Mara is not entirely human.She isthegranddaughter of Stribog,thegod of winterwinds and she's determined to bring her beloved father back fromthedead.Though powerless, Mara and her best friend Torniv,thebear-shifter, set out on an epic journey to defythegods and rescue her father. Ontheir epic journeythey will bargain with forest lords, free goddesses from enchantments, sailthestormy seas in a ship made of gold and dodgethecooking pot ofthevillainous Baba Latingorka. Little dotheintrepid duo know oftheterrible forcesthey have set in motion, fortheworld is full of darkness and Mara will have to rely on her wits to survive.