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First published in 2025
Text © 2025 Tanya Landman
Illustrations © 2025 Cinthya Álvarez
Cover design © 2025 HarperCollinsPublishers Limited
The moral right of Tanya Landman and Cinthya Álvarez to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988
ISBN 978-0-00-876489-0
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Printed and bound in India by Replika Press Pvt. Ltd.
To Rod, who told this story so brilliantly
Jack and his mum lived by the sea.
Mum was ill. Each day, she got worse.
She got thin. Went to bed early. She got up later and later.
One morning, she didn’t get up at all.
There was a knock at the door. Who could it be?
“I’ve
come for your mum,” the stranger said.
Jack knew the stranger. It was Death.
“No!” yelled Jack. “No! No! You’re not taking her!”
Jack grabbed a broom and hit Death hard. Again. Again!
It was very odd. Each time Jack hit Death, Death got smaller. And smaller. And smaller.
