As a bookseller you know you’re getting old when your childhood favourites reach major milestones. 2021 marks 25 years since the release of Garth Nix’s Sabriel, the first in his Old Kingdom series. This occasion is being celebrated with the release of a gorgeous new hardback edition. For me, revisiting books I loved as a young person is a largely rewarding experience because great stories and characters stick. This is why classics exist.

When Sabriel receives terrible news about the fate of her father, the Abhorsen, last seen in the distant lands of the Old Kingdom, she is compelled to take up his mantle. Leaving behind the lands of Ancelstierre, she journeys across the Wall to prevent her home from falling to the advances of the undead controlled by the necromancer Kerrigor. As Abhorsen, Sabriel’s unique powers allow her to put the evil undead forces to rest.

Sabriel rocketed onto the scene in 1995 with its seamless blend of fantasy and horror that enthralled young adult and fantasy readers alike. Fate and destiny, the burden of responsibility, and loss as a tool to build strength of character – these are all timeless themes in great fantasy books, and all present here in spades. This classic is perfect for a confident 12 year old and readers ages 13+.

Julia Jackson is the assistant shop manager at Readings Carlton.