Inspired by the author’s uniquely personal experience of memory loss comes an incredible, immersive fantasy series about a boy with no memories and a world that only he can save. Jayben discovers that many moons ago, a giant put a dark spell on the golden torch, and the elves forgot everything that had come before. Now they hang precious memories in jars on trees, just to try to remember. If your young reader is a fan of Francesca Gibbons and the Wizards of Once series, then Jayben and the Golden Torch will be right up their alley! I recommend it for children aged 9+. Inspired by his own experience of memory loss after a brain injury, author Thomas Leeds introduces us to Jayben, a boy who can’t remember anything before the age of six. Leeds layers his young protagonist with his lived experience. It’s also refreshing to see a character who lives with seizures. This fantastic representation is extremely significant for kids and readers who might identify with Jayben so that they might see themselves as the hero of their story. Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing -

Jayben and the Golden Torch | BookTrust

The night before my 30th birthday, I decided to try to accept that he was simply gone – for ever. I was planning a 1980s-themed party and had started preparing a playlist of 80s music. It was late. I went to bed, plugged my earphones in and closed my eyes. I started skipping from one classic to the next, adding each tune to the playlist. After 10 years of listening to the radio, I knew them all by heart. When twelve-year-old Jayben finds himself in a fantastical new world, he wonders what it all means: Jayben has blanks in his memory due to his epileptic seizures as a result of brain injury.I hope that children living with brain injuries and epilepsy will feel encouraged by Jayben, the hero I've longed to see for many years. But I believe that his story, the first in a series for ages 9+, is for everyone, and its message of courage and hope will appeal to readers of all abilities. I loved this book - a triumphant and richly imagined fantasy as well as a compelling insight into life with seizures and memory loss. I can't wait to see where this story goes!' - Lee Newbery, author of The Last Firefox

A moment that changed me: I lost my memories in a road

But a new darkness grows among them… An evil villain called Null is burning down the forests, hellbent on finding the torch and becoming the most powerful being ever to live. So often seizures in fiction are depicted as the end or a sign of someone worsening, we so rarely get to see people living with seizures and living through them. There are so many people, especially kids, dealing with this right now who need a hero like Jayben, to see themselves. The world of Jayben and the Golden Torch is rich with lore, flitting between our modern world and an elven world with magical powers, and the threat of a sinister villain who wants to make everyone forget. It is a classic children’s fantasy with fast-paced action and I cannot wait to see what comes next. If Jayben can find his own magic and ignite the torch with its fierce violet flame, his power will be unstoppable… Can Jayben save the world before the lights go out forever? I loved this book – a triumphant and richly imagined fantasy as well as a compelling insight into life with seizures and memory loss. I can’t wait to see where this story goes!’– Lee Newbery, author of The Last Firefox

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I think this story could really do with a map at the beginning, laying out the world for the reader as it would be easier to visualise what we are reading.