We are thrilled to announce that this year’s Merton Big Read is:
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak.
“An outstanding work of breathtaking beauty.”
Lemn Sissay
Read the book?
Share your thoughts on our survey for the chance to win a signed book by Elif Shafak and two tickets to see her live at Wimbledon Bookfest 2026.
TAKE THE SURVEYThe Island of Missing Trees
Set in London and Cyprus and spanning a lifetime, this magical novel follows the lives of two teenagers from opposite sides of a divided island, and tells a rich tale of belonging and identity, love and trauma, nature and renewal. The Island of Missing Trees explores the themes of human connection, the inheritance of pain, the power of kindness and the role of literature in giving a voice to the natural world.
About Elif Shafak
Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist and storyteller. She has published 21 books, 13 of which are novels and her books have been translated into almost 60 languages. The Island of Missing Trees was a finalist for the Costa Award, British Book Awards, RSL Ondaatje Prize and Women’s Prize for Fiction and was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick. An advocate for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of expression, Shafak is an inspiring public speaker and twice TED Global speaker. She contributes to major publications around the world, and she was awarded the medal of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Merton Big Read
The Merton Big Read is a shared reading scheme, part of Merton’s National Portfolio Organisation funded by Arts Council England, which aims to connect the local community through books and stories. Our previous books have been The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid, Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín and Without Warning & Only Sometimes by Kit de Waal.
Five hundred copies of the book will be available to borrow through libraries and community groups across Merton, so be sure to pick up your copy and get reading. Click here for a chance to WIN a signed copy of Elif Shafak’s latest book and a pair of tickets to see her at Wimbledon BookFest in September.
And when you’re done, pass it on – recommend the book to friends, family, neighbours – we want the whole community to get involved!