Goodnight Silver by Abi Elphinstone

Illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill

The night was still and starlit – the kind of night that looked built for stories.

It should have been a dream holiday, a camping trip in the Mongolian Altai Mountains but for ten-year-old Emmy it turns into the type of adventure she’s not convinced she’ll make it home from. 

Separated from her parents, Emmy discovers a baby snow leopard. Although she’s unwilling at first to name him, when he saves her from wolves she realises they’re in this together. As his fur shines silver against the snow, she names him Silver.

When they meet Tuli and his horse, Genghis Kahn, Emmy thinks her adventure has come to an end but little does she know, there is magic at work. 

Tuli’s grandma, Batba has given up on magic too. Only when Darkfur the hunter appears intent on capturing Silver does she agree to help Emmy protect the baby snow leopard.

Dark forces threaten the very existence of the magical land of Whisperfell and suddenly it’s not only about saving the snow leopard, Emmy and Tuli must do all they can to protect Whisperfell. 

What will happen if Emmy and Tuli can’t find Silver’s parents before the hunters discover their whereabouts? 

If there is one lesson Emmy learns, it’s never to underestimate the ingenuity of a grandma! 

Can the power of hope and trust help Emmy to save Silver and ultimately herself? 

Abi Elphinstone’s hauntingly beautiful descriptions of nature set the reader right in the wild world Emmy finds herself lost in. 

If you ever need a reminder to have hope, this book is the one for you. 

Goodnight Silver is a call to all to protect the animals we share our wonderful world with. 

A total page turner by an absolute master in storytelling, this adventure had me on the edge of my seat and eager to keep on reading right to the very end. 

If you haven’t already, then once you’ve finished Goodnight Silver, I would encourage you to read the other fabulous books by this wonderful writer. 

The cover is stunning, what a temptation for readers of all ages to pick it off the shelf. 

I loved the illustrations and maps by Olivia Lomenech Gill. 

Included in the back of the book is the link to the World Wildlife Fund for adopting a leopard, facts about creatures which live in Mongolia’s Altai Mountains and a set of Book Club Questions.

Look out for our interview with Abi Elphinstone for My Book Corner’s Infamous Questions section – coming soon!

Thank you very much to Simon and Schuster Children’s Books for the review copy. 

Publishing on the 27th October 2026

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