For years, Old Gregory has been the Spook for the country, ridding the local villages of evil. Now his time is comimg to an end. But who will take over him? Twenty-nine apprentices have tried-some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive. Only Thomas Ward is left. He’s the last hope; the last apprentice. Can Tomas suceed? Will he learn the difference between a begign witch and a malevolent one? Does the Spook’s warning against giirls with pointy shoes include Alice? And what will happen if Thomas accidentally frees Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the country…?
Magic
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen: A Tale of Alderley
Neither Susan nor her brother, Colin, ever thought that war would be waged over a simple gemstone in her bracelet. But that’s what happens when the children visit Alderley Edge, a spooky place in a remote part of England. There, they meet the wizard Cadellin, who needs the stone to rouse his allies in the never-ending battle between good and evil. But when the stone vanishes, Susan and Colin must find it before the forces of evil use it to destroy all the goodness that ever existed in the world.
Includes an afterword by the author.
In Control, Ms. Wiz?
It all seemed so simple. To stop the local library from being closed down, Ms. Wiz sprinkles her special powder over a few books to bring them to life. But soon the greediest man in the world, some Flopsy Bunnies, and a very royal couple are on the loose. Jack and Podge are worried–this time, is Ms. Wiz really in control?
Clover Twig And The Magical Cottage
When the sensible, reliable and always tidy Clover Twig goes to work for a messy witch, she discovers that the witch’s cottage has quite a few secrets hiding inside of it!
The Fisherman and His Wife
A kind and gentle fisherman catches a talking dolphin. The wondrous beast begs to be freed, and the fisherman gladly complies. Aghast that her husband has asked for nothing in return from the dolphin, the fisherman’s wife insists that he find the creature and ask that it grant them a wish. Given one wish, the wife desires more and more, until she asks for the unthinkable.
Petrosinella: A Neapolitan Rapunzel
A retelling of a classic Italian tale that predates the Grimms’ Rapunzel by nearly two hundred years features a golden-tressed young woman who uses wit and magic to outsmart the wicked ogress and wed her prince.
Cinderella
A retelling of the familiar fairy tale features a canine twist–the story is accompanied by humorous photographs of weimaraner dogs in elaborate costumes playing the roles of the characters.
Tollins: Explosive Tales For Children
These are the first three stories of the Tollins. Yes, they do have wings, but no, they aren’t fairies. Tollins are a lot less fragile than fairies. In fact, the word fragile can’t really be used about them at all. They are about as fragile as a house of brick. In “How to Blow Up Tollins” a fireworks factory comes to the village of Chorleywood and the Tollins find themselves being used as industrial supplies. Being blasted into the night sky or spun round on a Catherine wheel is nowhere near a much fun as it sounds. It’s up to one young Tollin to save his people from becoming an ingredient. In “Sparkler and the Purple Death” our hero look execution in the face. Luckily, the executioner’s mask in backwards. Finally, in “Windbags and Dark Tollins” Tollin society faces a threat from the Dorset countryside, which, again, is much more frightening and nail-bitingly dramatic than it actually sounds.
Cinderella
Kind Cinderella, forced to wait hand and foot on her cruel stepsisters and stepmother, has almost forgotten that she, too, was once a lady with fine clothes and a soft bed to sleep in. But when Cinderella is left at home on the night of the royal ball, her fairy godmother turns pumpkin into coach, mice into horses, lizards into coachmen, and Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful ball gown. At the ball, Cinderella captures the prince’s heart, but must flee before the stroke of midnight. Now the prince must find the true owner of the delicate glass slipper Cinderella has left behind.
Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure
Margaret has a brave heart. She dreams of adventure and longs to travel to distant lands, so when a tall ship appears in the harbor, headed north to the Kingdoms of the Cold, Margaret won’t be left behind. But adventures are perilous things. Soon Margaret must face a ferocious sea serpent and even worse dangers. And she must discover the truth about an old woman with strange powers and mysterious plans, or she’ll never find a way to bring herself and her true love safely home.