Jessie's first book for children, The Restless Girls ,was published in September 2018, and Medusa, her second , in October 2021 . Medusa was shortlisted for the 2023 Carnegie Medal for Children's Writing.​Her story 'Daphne and the Doughnuts' appeared in The Book of Hopes, a collection of children's stories published in 2020, from which all profits go to the NHS. When the novel opens Medusa has been living in a cave on a remote island for four years. When Perseus washes up on her island, she helplessly cannot resist talking to him. She makes Perseus stay on the outside of the cave wall while they converse and ultimately get closer to each other. With each day affection grows on both sides, with Perseus declaring that he thinks he loves Medusa, Medusa realizes that she feels the same. Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments Higgins’s own volume is illustrated by the Turner prize-winning Chris Ofili, whose drawings are charming and airy, suggestive in spirit of Matisse’s pencil sketches. While they undoubtedly beautify an already alluring object, the deeper Higgins leads the reader into her forest of tales, the less necessary they feel. Full of rage and self-loathing, Medusa grows ravenous for connection, ‘a girl on the edge’

Once activated by a fresh imagination, the stories burst into fresh life,” Higgins observes. It’s true of not just her own luminous, astute retellings, but also of Burton’s bracing and powerful Medusa. Not only did I enjoy the story itself, but the art to go along with the retelling was equally stunning. It was simultaneously antique with a creative twist, not entirely Greek-inspired art, but something wholly original too. I’m glad it was illustrated because it greatly enhanced my reading experience and added to the storybook atmosphere the words themselves created. I wasn’t expecting The Odyssey, but i was expecting some effort to at least pretend like the author was trying to make it authentic to Ancient Greece… Instead, I kept finding turns or phrase or stylistic choices that decidedly didn’t belong in this era - like “girlfriend” and “boyfriend” - and honestly it was distracting - it kept taking me out of the story.

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an impressive addition to the shelves of feminist retellings, balancing rage with beautiful storytelling' - Irish Times I must give recognition to Olivia Lomenech Gill for the many wondrous, beautiful illustrations. They add so much to the story. siss-iling stars for the retelling and the reimagining of one of Greek Mythology’s greatest stories. Imaginative, different and a story that provides all the elements we have come to expect in a Greek tragedy. A beautiful and compassionate retelling that gives the serpent-headed monster of myth a powerful and haunting humanity' - Jennifer Saint

With Jessie Burton's characteristic lyrical and beautiful writing matched by stunning illustrations, I loved this story of survival, healing and bravery of all kinds. A moving retelling that will hold so much appeal for teens but also captivate adult readers of Circe and Ariadne - Amy McCulloch Amy Key’s Arrangements in Blue, a unique, intimate memoir about building a beautiful life without prioritising romantic love, or focusing on received ideas of success. This book is absolutely stunning. A beautiful modern re-telling of a very old tale. It was refreshing to see the point of view of a young Medusa. Not the scary gorgon that she is most commonly known as. With a look that would turn men to stone, Medusa has earned her place in Greek mythology as the ruthless Gorgon, with a head of snakes. However, forget all that because Jessica Burton tells a very human story about Medusa, the young girl who is thrust into an adult world at the tender age of fourteen, as she learns to deal with betrayal and abuse as she write her own story. Utterly transporting ... This dynamic feminist retelling is illustrated with stunning, polychromatic power' - Guardian Books of the YearOvid's Medusa is one of the characters of Greek myth I'm most drawn to. Her story of being cursed to be a monster with snakes for hair and causing people to turn to stone by looking at her as punishment from Athena for being raped in her temple by Poseidon makes me so very angry. And there's so much of her story that is just so relatable, she's a character I feel a great kinship with. Because of this, I've always been on the lookout for a great retelling of her story, and Jessie Burton's Medusa doesn't do a bad job. I really appreciated the perspective on Medusa - finally giving her agency in her own story, finally not painting her as a villain, but as a victim, and as a survivor, as a teen girl subject to the whims of the gods. It’s the story I and so many others have wanted for a long time. I think the writing wasn’t bad either - just kind of insufferable at times - which feels crappy to say. Exiled to a far-flung island by the whims of the gods, Medusa has little company except the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. But when a charmed, beautiful boy called Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is disrupted with the force of a supernova, unleashing desire, love, betrayal, and destiny itself.