A haunting story, based on an actual occurrence, recounts singular events leading up to the completion of a dam in Northumberland in 1981. A young girl named Kate and her dad visit the now-abandoned town that will disappear under water once the dam is active. They enter the empty houses and buildings so Kate can play a song on her fiddle in each one. The village, now a ghost town, was once vibrant and full of music, so Kate plays the last song that will ever be heard in each place. Somber, realistic illustrations capture the intimacy, loneliness, and poignancy of Kate and her father’s acknowledgement of the village’s history and of the people who once lived there. An author’s note identifies the real father and daughter behind the story, and tells that Kate grew up to be a great folk musician and composer. (Ages 6–10)

A haunting, stunningly illustrated story of loss, hope, and the power of music from multi-award winners David Almond and Levi Pinfold.

Kielder Water is a wild and beautiful place, rich in folk music and legend. Years ago, before a great dam was built to fill the valley with water, there were farms and homesteads in that valley and musicians who livened their rooms with song. After the village was abandoned and before the waters rushed in, a father and daughter returned there. The girl began to play her fiddle, bringing her tune to one empty house after another — for this was the last time that music would be heard in that place. With exquisite artwork by Levi Pinfold, David Almond’s lyrical narrative — inspired by a true tale — pays homage to his friends Mike and Kathryn Tickell and all the musicians of Northumberland, to show that music is ancient and unstoppable, and that dams and lakes cannot overwhelm it.