Author:Janni Howker,Anthony Browne
One of the most remarkable short stories in Janni Howker's BADGER ON THE BARGE is THE TOPIARY GARDEN, currently under option for filming It is the evocative, timeless story of Sally Beck, and the circumstances which led her to become Jack, the gardener's boy, working amongst the topiary bushes of a great country house garden. This powerful story has such impact for readers of any age that we are publishing it in a separate edition, with specially commissioned full colour paintings by Anthony Browne
The illustrations lend to the general atmosphere and Arrigan's perceptions of children's feelings are well expressed
—— Books for KeepsMary Arrigan can be relied upon to provide a spooky adventure . . . Fast moving with plenty of surprises
—— Independent on SundayA perfectly accomplished novel that has the whiff of Skellig about it. Well done Red Fox!
—— Shaun Traynor , The Irish PostFantastic . . . The tissue moments are off-set by the rest of the humour. I love how much I laughed while reading this 10/10 read
—— Nayu's Reading CornerThrilling, authentic, imaginative, original - very highly recommended
—— The Historical Novels ReviewThe writing is perfectly judged . . . John Stephens knows how to make things visual, and it's accessible but not too simplistic. Junior fantasy fans are going to love this book
—— Jill Murphy , TheBookbag.co.ukWith exceptional skill, Mr. Stephens weaves the resulting pathos into the children's characters and into their sibling relationship
—— Meghan Cox Gurdon , Wall Street JournalThe Emerald Atlas kind of encompasses all my firm favourites, His Dark Materials, The Chronicles of Narnia and of course Harry Potter. It was a thrill to read
—— Askew's Library ServiceThe Emerald Atlas is a fantastic start of a series. Plenty of questions are yet to be answered and I look forward to the sequel
—— My Favourite BooksThe book is reminiscent in some ways of C S Lewis and J R Rowling and the excitement and gripping writing will ensure readers are immersed in the story. The book leaves issues undecided and the reader wanting more
—— Parents in TouchIt is a fantastical adventure that will appeal to those people who loved Harry Potter, Narnia and Lord of the Rings, with an epic tale, lovable characters and an engaging and fast paced storyline
—— Overflowing LibraryStephens' top-notch time-travel thriller has a quirky mixed bag of heroes and villains, a clever and compelling plotline and graphic action sequences that just cry out for the big screen treatment
—— Pam Norfolk , Lytham St Annes ExpressA wonderful story you can easily lose yourself in
—— Notes of LifeFirst-rate fantasy
—— ArmadilloIt's very much that wet sloppy fart kind of humour. Your kids will absolutely love this book. It's a great "next step up" the reading ladder
—— bfkbooks