The Longest Night of Charlie Noon

31st May 2019

Posted by Christopher at 4:02pm

The Longest Night of Charlie Noon will be published next week on Thursday 6th June and is a story for anyone who’s ever felt lost.

Sometimes childhood can be romanticised as a golden time filled with carefree days climbing trees, but when you’re a child you often feel powerless and can’t wait to grow up.

In The Longest Night of Charlie Noon, three children get lost in the woods and, through the course of a strange night that seems like it will never end, undertake an unforgettable journey.

It’s a story filled with mystery and adventure. There are secret codes to solve and puzzles to unlock. Danger lurks in the shadows of this story, but you’ll find kindness and courage in its pages too. It’s a story about facing your fears and finding your way, even when it seems like all hope is gone.

As someone who’s never been known as much of an outdoor type, writing The Longest Night of Charlie Noon has helped me to connect me with the natural world in a way that has fed my imagination. It’s a story that has sent me deep into the heart of the woods, including one very scary night that I spent alone in the ancient woodland of Lower Woods where the story is set. I hope The Longest Night of Charlie Noon might inspire young readers to venture out into the woods themselves to make their own adventures there. There’s even some climbing of trees…

It’s a story about time and memory and the moments that matter. It’s a story about the power we have to change the world.

It’s a story about now.

And I hope you enjoy it.

The build-up to publication day is a time filled with nervous anticipation, so it's been incredibly heartening to read some early responses to The Longest Night of Charlie Noon, including from authors I admire. There are quite a few surprises in the story, so I'm really grateful to reviewers for avoiding any spoilers, but if you want to come to the story completely fresh you might want to look away now!

“Compulsively readable, thrilling, daring and quite unlike any other children’s book I have ever read, yet clearly also set in a tradition of the very best.” Piers Torday, author of The Last Magician 

“Yet another captivating story from [Christopher Edge] which effortlessly blends science, philosophy and heart.” Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song

"A fever dream of a story ... Make time to read it." A. F. Harrold, author of The Afterwards

"A spooky and breathtaking adventure. Christopher Edge takes the reader on an unforgettable journey." Ross Welford, author of Time Travelling with a Hamster

"A book which proves that stories for children can be both gentle and intelligent." Book Murmuration

"The story is told with a real sense of emotion and passion which drives this story into the woods and beyond." Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

"With this blend of gripping adventure, rich characters and scientific ideas, this is a book that would appeal to a wide range of readers." Just Imagine

"Another mind-bogglingly brilliant novel... It is a book for those who want children to think big thoughts, and live big lives." Magic Fiction Since Potter

“Science and imagination are often presented as opposites that can have nothing in common. Here Christopher Edge demonstrates again that this is untrue; science and imagination need each other…. An excellent and enjoyable read.” Books for Keeps 

“Atmospheric, intelligent and thought-provoking, this is the kind of story that loves to surprise you every time you feel sure you have a handle on it.”​​​​​​​ Books for Topics

"The Longest Night of Charlie Noon' is an extraordinarily beautiful, sublime and jaw-dropping future classic."​​​​​​​ Chris Soul

“A mind-blowing, heart-stopping, dimension-defying dash through time that thrums with tantalising twists & leaves you completely breathless.”​​​​​​​ Scott Evans, The Reader Teacher

“Known for incorporating “big-idea science” into his novels in ways children can comprehend, Edge here repeats and refines his formula to create a puzzlebox romp through trees, terrors and time itself.” Simon Lamb, John O’Groat Journal​​​​​​​

“Top-quality storytelling as ever from Edge, with a scientific twist.” Fiona Noble, The Bookseller

“An absolute joy to read… brilliant for inquisitive minds.”​​​​​​​ Independent Book Reviews

“Christopher Edge has a fantastic ability to explain complex scientific concepts and weave them into a compelling storyline.”​​​​​​​ Our Classroom Reviews

Next week I'm excited to set out on a blog tour for The Longest Night of Charlie Noon, so check in with these ace bloggers on the dates below to find out more.