Crooked Sixpence, The (Book 1 Of Uncommoners, The)

Description: Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems . . . Dive head first into the world of Lundinor in this magical adventure story for anyone with a Hogwarts-shaped hole in their life. When their grandmother Sylvie is rushed to hospital, Ivy Sparrow and her annoying big brother Seb cannot imagine what adventure lies in store. Returning to Sylvie's house, they find it has been ransacked by unknown intruders - before a mysterious feather scratches an ominous message onto the kitchen wall. A very strange policeman turns up on the scene, determined to apprehend them . . . with a toilet brush. Ivy and Seb make their escape - only to find themselves in a completely uncommon world, where ordinary objects have amazing powers. The forces of evil are closing in fast, and Ivy and Seb must get to the bottom of a family secret . . . before it's too late. Complete with stunning interior illustrations by cover artist Karl Mountford.

Review: "A fast-paced and quirky magical tale . . . Bell writes with great verve and imagination" -- Fiona Noble * The Bookseller * "The Crooked Sixpence moves at the speed of magic . . . peeling away the mundane surface of the world to reveal something richer and deeper. Bell's world is part Tim Burton, part J.K. Rowling . . . This is a terrific debut" -- Soman Chainani, author of THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL "This is a fast-paced and exciting adventure, featuring a Victorian-style otherworld, that will appeal to fans of the Harry Potter and Chrestomanci series . . . the book will appeal to both girls and boys. This is an extremely enjoyable read and a well-deserving addition to the magical fantasy genre" -- Andrea Rayner * booksforkeeps.co.uk * "A wonderfully intriguing mystery . . . Uncommonly good!" -- Chris Bradford, author of THE YOUNG SAMURAI series "Weird, whacky and utterly wonderful. Go to Lundinor. You won't ever want to come back" -- Joshua Khan, author of SHADOW MAGIC



Prizes: Short-listed for Sainsbury's Children's Book Awards: Fiction for Age 9+ 2016.

Author Biography: Jennifer Bell (Author) Londoner Jennifer Bell began working in children's books as a specialist bookseller at Foyles, Charing Cross Road - one of the world's most famous bookstores. Here, she looked after the shop's five not-so-deadly piranha fish as well as recommending children's books to celebrities, royalty and even an astronaut! After having the privilege of listening to children talk about their favourite books for many years, she started writing one of her own. Jennifer came up with the idea of The Crooked Sixpence while packing for a holiday and wishing she could just disappear inside her suitcase and be there already. The magical world of Lundinor is inspired by sayings from traditional English nursery rhymes, and stories about the Cockney markets her grandparents used to visit.Karl James Mountford (Illustrator) Karl James Mountford has been drawing, painting and generally making a mess since he was a young nipper. This hasn't changed much as he's gotten older. Born in Germany and brought up in and around the UK, he now lives in the Midlands where his sketchbooks rarely get a day off.