100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery πŸš€ Thank you for supporting our 100% NZ-owned bookstore ❀️

The Weight of Water

Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal
3.79 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 9,246 ratings, 1,420 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan tells the poignant story of Kasienka, a young Polish girl struggling to find her place in a new English school after moving from Poland. Feeling isolated and missing her old life, Kasienka’s world begins to change when a new friendship brings renewed hope. This debut novel, written in poetic verse, delicately explores themes of first love, friendship, immigration, prejudice, and personal courage as Kasienka learns how to keep afloat amidst upheaval and heartache.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of The Weight of Water. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This moving and accessible verse novel is ideal for children and young adults, particularly those interested in stories about immigration, identity, and emotional growth. It will appeal to readers seeking a powerful, poetic narrative that handles difficult themes with sensitivity and hope.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Poignant, powerful, just perfect - Cathy Cassidy

This poetic novel is sheer perfection ... I loved it - Irish Examiner

A compellingly beautiful, utterly seductive debut novel … Do not miss it - The Scotsman

The Weight of Water is Sarah Crossan's exquisite debut novel that explores first love, friendship and quiet courage. It will leave you sad, happy and wanting more.

Sometimes I want to tear off my clothes
And show them I'm the same
Underneath –
Maybe better.

Life is lonely for Kasienka. She misses her old home in Poland, her mother's heart is breaking, and at her new English school friends are scarce. But when someone new swims into her life, Kasienka learns that there is more than one way to stay afloat.

This stunning novel from Carnegie Medal winner Sarah Crossan explores how to pick up the pieces when everything you know is turned on its head and you have to start all over again.

Experience every emotion with the finest verse novelist of our generation...

Don't miss Sarah Crossan's other irresistibly page-turning books Moonrise, One, Apple and Rain, and Toffee.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critically acclaimed for its subtle lyricism and emotional depth, The Weight of Water has been described as 'poignant, powerful, just perfect' by Cathy Cassidy and 'sheer perfection' by the Irish Examiner, praised for its heartfelt portrayal of alienation and resilience. The Scotsman calls it 'a compellingly beautiful, utterly seductive debut'. John Agard highlights how the novel captures complex issues with disarming simplicity and poetic resonance.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781526606907

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 May 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury YA

Audience: Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 200g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Sarah Crossan has lived in Dublin, London and New York, and now lives in Sussex. She graduated with a degree in philosophy and literature before training as an English and drama teacher at the University of Cambridge. Sarah Crossan won the 2016 CILIP Medal, the YA Book Prize, the CBI Book of the Year Award and many other prizes for her novel One.

sarahcrossan.com
@SarahCrossan

Also by Sarah Crossan

View all
  • Apple and Rain
    _______________ 'This poignant, realistic tale is about learning to love and taking responsibility, and how poems can tell the truth' - Sunday Times Book of the Week 'A story of the redeeming power of love. It's beautifully written and it made me cry but it also made me laugh' - The Bookbag _______________ SHORTLISTED FOR THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL All...
    Paperback
    $1699
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Moonrise
    SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2017 SHORTLISTED FOR THE YA BOOK PRIZE 2018 SHORTLISTED FOR THE CBI BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2018 LONGLISTED FOR THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2019 β€˜Devastating … Any reader with a heart will weep buckets’ Sunday Times Book of the Week They think I hurt someone. But I didn’t. You hear? Cos people...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Are You Awake?
    Funny and dark. Tender and tough. Uncanny and relatable. β€” Erin Kelly Deeply moving, simultaneously delicate yet hard-hitting β€” Claire Kilroy Blends comedy, drama and heartbreak β€” John Boyne A really clever novel β€” Cecelia Ahern ______________________________________________________________ On an ordinary morning in an ordinary house, a woman discovers a secret her husband has been keeping. It is a secret that...
    Paperback
    $2499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Here is the Beehive
    SHORTLISTED FOR THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARD What would you do if you lost someone the world never knew was yours? For three years, Ana has been consumed by an affair with Connor, a client at her law firm. Their love has been consigned to hotel rooms and dark corners of pubs, their relationship kept hidden from the world....
    Paperback
    $2299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Gone for Good
    Girl in Pieces meets One of Us is Lying, told in Sarah Crossan’s inimitable and award-winning verse. Connie Ryder is taken from her home in the dead of night and sent to Silver Lake Academy – a remote, high-security facility for β€˜troubled’ teens. At Silver Lake, the vulnerable and the violent are locked in together under a brutal regime that...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2699
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Breathe
    _______________ 'Mad Max for the eco-generation' - Love Reading 4 Kids 'The all-action plot and the hinted-at romantic triangle will keep the reader's interest to the end' - Irish Examiner _______________ When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch,...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • We Come Apart
    YA rising stars Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan join forces to break readers' hearts in this contemporary story of star-cross'd lovers. Jess would never have looked twice at Nicu if her friends hadn't left her in the lurch. Nicu is all big eyes and ill-fitting clothes, eager as a puppy, even when they're picking up litter in the park for...
    Paperback
    $1699
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Hey, Zoey
    A provocative, tender and darkly funny novel that explores the painful truths of modern-day connection, and all the complicated and unexpected forms that love can take in a lifetime. 'Inventive astute and funny' Observer 'As rip-roaring as it is thought provoking' i A love triangle, but with a twist' Guardian 'Highly original, deeply moving, simultaneously delicate yet hard hitting' Claire...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Where the Heart Should Be
    β€˜A beautiful, perfect, moving read’ – Cecelia Ahern, author of PS, I Love You The outstanding novel from the Carnegie Medal-winning, former Laureate na nΓ“g Sarah Crossan, is thought-provoking and moving as it explores love and family during The Great Hunger. Ireland, 1846. Nell is working as a scullery maid in the kitchen of the Big House. Once she loved...
    Paperback
    $5499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • A Totally Big Umbrella
    Enchanting and imaginative, this gentle, playful picture book addresses an anxious child’s need to find control. - The Guardian A tender picture and insightful read-aloud picture book about anxiety: showing children aged 3-7 years old they do not have to carry their worries alone – there’s always room under your umbrella for someone else. The debut picture book from the...
    Hardback
    Sold Out
  • One
    _______________ 'Broke my heart and mended it' - Cecilia Ahern 'It will shake up preconceptions and move readers to tears' - Sunday Times Book of the Week 'Truly remarkable' - Irish Times _______________ WINNER OF THE YA BOOK PRIZE WINNER OF THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL WINNER OF THE CBI BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNER OF THE CLIPPA POETRY AWARD...
    Paperback
    Sold Out
  • Where the Heart Should Be
    β€˜A beautiful, perfect, moving read’ – Cecelia Ahern, author of PS, I Love You The outstanding novel from the Carnegie Medal-winning, former Laureate na nΓ“g Sarah Crossan; thought-provoking and moving, it explores love and family during The Great Hunger. Ireland, 1846. Nell is working as a scullery maid in the kitchen of the Big House. Once she loved school and...
    Hardback
    Sold Out

More from Children's Books

View all
  • New Release
    Royalslinger
    K Pop Demon Hunters fans will love this! Graci Kim is back with the second book in her exciting and fantastical Slinger series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul; meals magically appear based on your mood; and dreams literally come to life. Praise forΒ Dreamslinger: β€œA mind-blowingly original fantasy adventureβ€”Graci Kim has done it again!”—Rick Riordan,Β New York TimesΒ #1...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Detective Beans and the Map of Mystery
    Enjoy this new DETECTIVE BEANS adventure in the bestselling and award-winning graphic novel series by Li Chen! Your favourite kitten detective is back with a new mystery to solve . . . and treasure to find! When Captain Scuttlebeard gives Beans a treasure map, Beans is determined to find the prize at the end. The clues take him all over...
    By Li Chen
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2200
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Mei Mei the Bunny Mei Mei the Bunny
    New Release
    Mei Mei the Bunny
    Mei Mei the Bunny is Laufey's picture book debut about a bunny learning to believe in herself through music. Experience a heartwarming tale of self-belief in this enchanting picture book by GRAMMY Award-winning musician Laufey. Meet Mei Mei, a little bunny with a big dreamβ€”to spread joy through her music! As her debut recital at the H'Opera House draws near,...
    By Laufey
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Hunted: Wolf Girl 15
    Just when Wolf Girl is finally reunited with her father, he is torn away from her once more, and Gwen vows to stop at nothing to track him down. But danger is closing in: a giant snow leopard and a mysterious hooded figure are hot on their trail. As Gwen and the pack race through deep caverns to snowy peaks,...
    By Anh Do
    Paperback
    $1699
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    What If You Could
    From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for teens on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong. When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people in the world leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed β€” herself included....
    Paperback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Lonasei and the Mystery of Origin Grove
    Eleven-year-old Lonasei is lonelyΒ β€” she wishes her older sister Eva Grace wasn't so mean, and that her mum Aria didn't have to work so much. But when Aria inherits her childhood home, Lonasei discovers she can enter her late Aunt Malia's paintings and experience the memories within. Through them, she discovers that her mother had another sister, Agnes, who went...
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Case of the Viral Video: Violet and the Velvets 3
    Violet and the Velvets can hardly believe they've come so far in the BandChamps competition with only hard work, a smidge of talent, and a whole lot of thinking outside the box. This time, they get to record their new song in a proper recording studio and star in their very own music video! But Violet is letting her perfectionism...
    Paperback
    $1600
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Dawn Raid: The Apology
    This sequel to Dawn Raid follows Sofia Savea’s family, 50 years later, as Sofia's grandson becomes involved in the quest for a government apology. INVERCARGILL, 2020 Wow, I thought I knew a bit about the dawn raids, but this is HUGE. It happened to my OWN family and I never knew! I had no idea that Granfia and her family...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2099
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Big Bang Bread
    New Release
    Big Bang Bread
    In this time-travel storybook and cookbook with a cosmic twist, take a journey through time and space to discover the secrets of baking! Did you know that bread is made from stardust? Board the rocket and blast off on an adventure through time and space to discover the secrets of a home-baked loaf! Big Bang Bread is a kids' time-travel...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • B is for Bird
    From award-winning artist, Lily Emo, comes a beautiful celebration of birds. Paired with a fun rhyming story, gorgeous illustrations, and fold-out pages, this book is set to be a favourite for everyone and the perfect gift. Make your way through the alphabet with this stunning book featuring a cast of familiar birds. From albatross to fantails, gannets to quail, and...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • Signed Copy
    The Curse of the Carnivorous Cactuses
    (Sam: Nothing could be as bad as being covered in icky purple blobs ... wait, what does carnivorous mean again?) The gang is determined to defeat Glam-Evil and her nasty curses so that they can save their park and get back for Shackleton and Amelia's very first sleepover. But Glam-Evil has a few new tricks up her ultravillainous sleeve ......
    Paperback
    $1400
    Elsewhere:
    $1499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Bluey: Rain
    On Sale
    17% off
    New Release
    Bluey: Rain
    It's raining! Bluey is trying to dam the water in the front yard, but does she need Mum's help? Join Bluey as she plays in the water when a heavy summer rain thunders over the Heeler home. Can Mum stop Bluey from dirtying the house? Featuring: A nearly wordless picture book with visual storytelling that mimics the dialogue-free episode. A...
    By Bluey
    Hardback
    $1500
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.