Talking Location With … Bernadette Bernson: WHITBY
A year in the life of a school for young Superheroes – ENGLAND
14th April 2026
Tilly Turner Sky School by K S Conaty, a year in the life of a school for young superheroes. Illustrated by Marco Zeneri.
Tilly Turner Sky School is not a conventional superhero extravaganza. It is rather an account of the toils and troubles of a year in the life of SASH (the Sharpdown Academy for Superheroes). The school is in the sky, is magical and spectacular, and the pupils are the sons and daughters of superheroes. They are in the school learning while they wait for their individual superpowers to ‘emerge’. The superpower for each child (whatever it may be) must emerge by the time they are thirteen – otherwise it is deemed too dangerous and each such child (and their family) must be given an anti super power vaccine. They will then be moved to the local comprehensive and live in the neighbouring normal persons town. A good enough school and a good enough town but nothing like SASH and Sharpdown..
Tilly has been in the lowest cohort in SASH for several years. She is now twelve and her superpower has not yet emerged. Her friends in school support her, as do her family. Her enemies mock and bully her. She is told that at the end of the academic year she will have to leave SASH unless her superpower presents itself. She watches her friends get promoted through the cohorts as their superpowers develop, but she is left stuck where she is.
Strange and worrying things begin to happen at the school. A science experiment explodes with unfortunate effect, a spelling quiz goes wildly astray – the entrants freeze and cannot spell even simple words, and the BORGS (robots who do most of the chores around the school) begin to behave very oddly. The local press say that SASH is out of control and that the Headmaster’s job is under threat. Panic sets in. Tilly and two of her friends determine to get to the bottom of what is going on. Someone is trying to undermine the school, but who and why?
Eventually, of course, (after a series of mis-turns) they identify the culprit and harmony is restored to the school. Tilly is a hero (but not yet a superhero). Will her superpower emerge is time to prevent her being vaccinated and forced to leave SASH?
Tilly Turner Sky School is well and cleverly written by K S Conaty. It is a story of friendship, family, loyalty, and perseverance in difficult situations. The technological trappings of a superhero lifestyle are thought through and believable. Yes, the book is marketed to children but (as an adult) I thoroughly enjoyed it. I won’t be the only one.
Aimed at 10-13 year olds.
Tony for the TripFiction team
Join team TripFiction on Social Media:
Twitter (@TripFiction), Facebook (@TripFiction.Literarywanderlust), YouTube (TripFiction #Literarywanderlust), Instagram (@TripFiction) and Pinterest (@TripFiction) and BlueSky(tripfiction.bsky.social) and Threads (@tripfiction)
Please wait...
