Waterstones The Serial Garden
97 ratings
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Price: £9.99
Brand: Waterstones
Description: FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE' She's one of the most important and interesting children's fiction writers of the last fifty years' NEIL GAIMAN' What a thrill to discover this gem from the witty and endlessly inventive Joan Aiken' CHRIS RIDDELL' She is one of the writers I admire most in the world' KATHERINE RUNDELL' She was a literary treasure, and her books will continue to delight for years to come' PHILIP PULLMAN'I wish we'll have two children called Mark and Harriet. And I hope lots of interesting and unusual things will happen to them. It would be nice if they had a fairy godmother, for instance. And a phoenix or something out of the ordinary for a pet. We could have a special day for interesting and unusual things to happen - say, Mondays. But not always Mondays, and not only Mondays, or that would get a bit dull' As a result of their mother's honeymoon wish, Mark and Harriet Armitage have a fairy godmother, a pet unicorn and are prepared for anything life can throw at them (especially, but not always, on a Monday): hatching griffins in the airing cupboard, Latin lessons with a ghost, furious Furies on the doorstep and an enchanted garden locked inside a cereal packet. Life with the Armitages can be magical, funny, terrifying - but never, ever dull.'A delightful summary of one side of Aiken's talent: whimsical, funny, a series of brilliantly imaginative ideas stitched together with dream logic. It is the mixture of irrepressible gaiety and invention with the tragic that makes Aiken one of the great children's authors. impossible to calculate the number of people who have enjoyed her books - who have had some magic injected into the mundane' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH. Waterstones The Serial Garden - shop the best deal online on thebookbug.co.uk
Category: Books
Merchant: Waterstones
Product ID: 9780349005850
Delivery cost: 2.99
ISBN: 9780349005850
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Author: Izzielickedabee
Rating: 5
Review: Written for children these originally appeared scattered here and there in collections of Aiken’s stories, first appearing in the 1950s through to the 1980s. I was always so pleased, as a child, when I found one. Virago has collected them all together with a new introduction and some stories I haven’t read before. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting them Mr and Mrs Armitage, and their children Mark and Harriet, are a very ordinary family who live in a small village. The village just happens to be a little bit magical inhabited by witches, unicorns and tiny disgruntled people. As Aiken’s introduction explains Mr and Mrs Armitage wanted to have a little adventure in their family life and through a quirk of fate got what they wished for – although being a very sensible pair they took great care to ensure that the most magical things were confined to Mondays. But when they do have encounters these can range from ghostly governesses to angry Furies. Although Mr Armitage’s inclination is to deal with most incidents by writing to 'The Times' often more direct action is required. The earliest stories are a little sketchy – Aiken was 17 when she wrote the first one – but they got better and better as Aiken added to them over her long writing career. Although the very last three stories are not quite as strong. I wasn’t that keen on fairy tales or fantasy as a child but loved these - they’re quite droll, written in the style of a girls’ school story with a deadpan delivery - which is perhaps why I still enjoy them. Brilliant light relief/comfort reading, Now I’m tempted to read the Dido Twite series again.
Author: Nice Irma
Rating: 5
Review: These are among the most unusual and memorable children's stories I've read. Very English in character - slightly old fashioned so I was thrilled when my two children read them (now 14 and 10) and agreed they were brilliant. The Serial Garden has gone down into family legend: anytime we see any antiquated packaging on a product we turn to the back to look for the magical garden competition... You have to have read it to know what I mean. Delightful, intelligent writing for children - a classic collection.
