The Wind Singer
The Wind Singer (ISBN 0-7497-4471-5) is a book written by William Nicholson, which is part of the Wind On Fire Trilogy. It was first published in 2000. The picture to the right is the cover of the 2001 edition. The Wind Singer was announced as the year 2000 winner of the Smarties Prize Gold Award and the [|Blue Peter Best Book Award] for "The Book I Couldn't Put Down".
Blurb
Plot
This story is set in a time that could be in the far future or the distant past of this world or in another world altogether. Events begin in the walled city of Aramanth where families are divided into classes according to how well they perform as a whole in The High Examination. The classes from lowest to highest are Grey, Maroon, Orange, Scarlet and White. The city is separated into five districts partitioned in concentric circles - Grey District is the outermost district, while White District is the innermost. All the citizens wear clothes dyed in the colour of the district in which they belong to differentiate them (eg. people in grey district wear grey clothing). The Emperor is the only person permitted to wear blue. Ratings are given to everyone in the city and they are added to the family rating. An increase or decrease in the rating can move the family into a higher or lower district - this is intended to ensure that all citizens "strive harder, reach higher, make tomorrow better than today for love of my Emperor and for the glory of Aramanth". Disloyalty, or any form of behaviour that does not comply with the grand plan of those in control, is dealt with harshly.
Kestrel and Bowman Hath are twins of the Orange District who embark on a dangerous journey in search of the Wind Singer's voice (the Wind Singer is a machine built long ago in the history of Ararmanth that could create peace and defend Aramanth from the evil of the Morah). The journey leads them to the Halls of Morah, the very heart of the evil that has now taken control of the city. With their new friend, the brave but pitiful Mumpo who has an unshakeable affection for Kestrel, they cross the desert, the crack-in-the-land and a formidable forest, encountering friends and foes. Their extraordinary quest to make the Wind Singer sing again and free their people from the mental slavery of the Morah and their dreaded army the Zars is one that can never be forgotten.