New Releases by Piers Torday

A beautiful celebration of the joy and magic of reading from bestselling children''s author Piers Torday. "Perhaps the greatest gift is reading itself." Join Girl, her loyal companion Dog, and new arrival Baby Brother on a magical journey to discover books. Together, they explore the many joys of reading: for happiness, adventure, empathy, and even future success. From the quiet magic of libraries to the warmth of sharing stories at home, their world, reflections, adventures and questions celebrate the beauty of a childhood shaped by books. But when the world feels full of distractions and the magic of books starts to fade, the arrival of the Story Owl reminds them - and us all - of the extraordinary power of reading... The best-selling, award-winning Piers Torday combines lyrical storytelling with real insights into the benefits of reading, beautifully brought to life with Tim Smart''s illustrations in this heartfelt celebration for readers of all ages. The perfect gift for every child, parent and book lover.

Letters from a longed-for pet provide comfort and entertainment for a lonely boy in a heartfelt and gently humorous tale from bestselling author Piers Torday.

A breathtaking new fantasy world from the award-winning author of The Last Wild. In an empire of vampirs and werwolves, Tibor and Roza are hunting a treasure more valuable than gold ... For readers who loved Katherine Rundell''s Impossible Creatures or S.F. Said''s Tyger. Tibor is a child of the night, a werwolf, adopted by his guardian, a powerful vampir. He and his friend Roza are on the deadliest of quests, and one that will test their very immortality. And they''re not the only ones hunting for the Midnight Treasure. Battling with bears, wrestling with vampirs and racing against the clock, Tibor and Roza must decide who to trust. And whether they will dare reveal the secrets ... of the Midnight Treasure. From the award-winning Piers Torday comes this spectacular, irresistible treasure hunt: there will be clues, spells, imprisonments and escapes, fights, betrayals ... but above all there will be courage and hope.

Can one hare alone change the world? The captivating animal adventure destined to be loved by readers of all ages. A stunning paperback edition from the bestselling, much-loved author, Piers Torday. One stormy, snowy night, a pure silver calf is born on an ordinary muddy farm by the light of the moon. This is the legendary Mooncalf, whose arrival has been foretold since the dawn of time. According to a dream passed down from animal to animal, if the calf dies, a great terribleness will come - rising seas, a plague, skies raining down fire, the end of all things... and Little Hare vows to persuade all the animals to protect Mooncalf, whatever the cost. But it''s easier said than done, and soon Little Hare realises that he is the only one who can save the world... A stunning prequel to the award-winning, bestselling The Last Wild trilogy, touching on timely themes of climate change, friendship, and above all, hope. ''Piers Torday is the new master of books for children'' The Times ''an unforgettable story of hope and friendship'' The Bookseller

''If you can imagine it, it exists ... somewhere.'' The second incredible instalment of a spellbinding fantasy adventure from the bestselling, award-winning author of The Last Wild trilogy. It is 1984 and forty years since Simon, Patricia and Evelyn and Larry first stepped through a magical library door into the enchanted world of Folio. When Patricia''s daughter, Jewel, makes a mysterious discovery in an old bookshop, she begins a quest that will make her question everything she thought she knew. Summoned to Folio, she must rescue a missing prince, helped only by her pet hamster and a malfunctioning robot. Their mission to the Frozen Sea will bring them face-to-face with a danger both more deadly and more magnificent than they ever imagined. What Jewel discovers will change not just who she thinks she is, but who we all think we are...

''If you can imagine it, it exists ... somewhere.'' A spellbinding adventure from the bestselling, award-winning author of The Last Wild trilogy. 1945. They have survived the Blitz, but when Simon, Patricia, Evelyn and Larry step through a mysterious library door, it is the beginning of their most dangerous adventure yet. They discover the magical world of Folio, where an enchanted kingdom of fairy knights, bears and tree gods is under threat from a sinister robot army. The many stories of the Library are locked in eternal war, and the children''s only hope is to find their creator - a magician who has been lost for centuries. What they find will change not just their own lives, but the fate of the world, for ever ... An ode to the world of Narnia, The Lost Magician is a classic in the making from one of the UK''s most talented children''s authors. Praise for Piers Torday: ''The new master of books for children'' - The Times

Kester ha salvato gli animali. Ora riuscirà a salvare anche gli umani? Il dodicenne Kester Jaynes pensava che, con la scoperta degli ultimi animali selvaggi della Terra, la sua avventura fosse finita, ma si sbagliava. Gli uomini che hanno voluto una Terra senza animali e un mondo senza colori né sapori non hanno nessuna intenzione di lasciarlo in pace. E quando la sua amica Polly scompare, Kester sente che è suo dovere di capo branco andare a salvarla. Nei meandri oscuri sotto la città scintillante lo attende una terribile scoperta: tutti gli animali sopravvissuti si si stanno organizzando per muovere guerra agli umani e sterminarli! Dopo l’amatissimo L’ultimo branco selvaggio, una nuova avventura del ragazzino che, cercando di salvare gli animali, porta un messaggio di speranza in una terra governata dalla paura e dall’oppressione.

Kay Harker is heading home for the school holidays. Recently orphaned, he knows this Christmas will be different but nothing could prepare him for the journey that lies ahead. On the train he meets an old magician, Cole Hawlings, who charges Kay with safeguarding a wondrous device that has time-travelling powers. It''s an instrument that Cole''s nemesis, the wicked sorcerer Abner Brown, will stop at nothing to steal for himself. And so when the old man mysteriously disappears, Kay faces the fight of his life. He must protect both the Box of Delights and, with it, the people he loves. The Box of Delights is a magical and festive adventure in which one boy must confront the secrets of the past to defeat the evil in his present. The future of Christmas itself depends upon him. Adapted for the stage for the first time by Piers Today, John Masefield''s much-loved classic The Box of Delightspremiered at Wilton''s Music Hall in December 2017. ''One of the greatest children''s books ever written.'' The Times

Er was eens een kasteel is het nieuwe boek van Piers Torday, auteur van de Laatste wilde dieren-trilogie en winnaar van de Guardian Fiction Children''s Prize. Kerstavond. Mouse Mallory rijdt met zijn familie door een besneeuwd landschap, op weg naar zijn grootouders. Maar ze komen er nooit aan. De auto slipt en Mouse wordt uit de auto geslingerd. Hij wordt wakker in een magisch landschap met een praatziek schaap en een nogal bazige paard als gezelschap. Mouse onderneemt een wonderlijke reis door een wereld vol monsters, gevaarlijke ridders en mysterieuze tovenaars. Terwijl hij op zoek is naar een kasteel dat er misschien niet is, realiseert hij zich dat dit misschien wel de belangrijkste reis van zijn leven is... ''Piers Torday bewijst opnieuw dat hij een van de beste kinderboekenauteurs van dit moment is.'' The Guardian

A remarkable story about love, loss and the power of the imagination, from an award-winning, celebrated writer for children. On a frozen Christmas Eve, Mouse Mallory and his family set off across a snow-white valley to visit his grandparents. They never arrive. As the wheels skid off the icy road, Mouse is thrown from the car. When he wakes, he finds himself in a magical landscape, with only a talkative sheep and a very bossy horse for company. And they tell him: this is your story now. So begins Mouse''s extraordinary quest through a world of wonder. A world of monsters, minstrels, dangerous knights and mysterious wizards; a world of terrifying danger but also more excitement than Mouse has ever known. All to find a castle, somewhere, beyond. But why is Mouse looking for a castle? As thoughts of his family back at the car begin to surface, Mouse realises this might be the most important journey he will ever make ... This is a novel about love and death. It''s about the power of stories to change the way we view the world - and it''s about the power of a child to change their own world. Emotionally arresting but ultimately uplifting, this is a remarkable novel for our times.

Political chaos, MPs turning on each other, expediency and skulduggery at the highest echelons of government? No, not Brexit, but a brilliant political satire from the bestselling author of SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN ''THE DEATH OF AN OWL will ring true with anyone who has ever hated politicians or fallen out of love'' EVENING STANDARD ''A pleasure to read'' DAILY EXPRESS Andrew Landford, MP is driving home one night along a dark country lane when a barn owl flies into his windscreen. It is an accident, nothing more. But Andrew sits on a parliamentary committee concerned with the protection of endangered species, and the death of the owl threatens to destroy his hopes of reaching No. 10. Also in the car is Andrew''s old Oxford friend and political adviser, Charles Fryerne. Will they be able to keep the crime under wraps, or will circumstances conspire against them? Paul Torday''s last novel, and completed by his son Piers, this is a timely reminder that in politics, nothing is sacred... ''A pleasure to read'' Daily Express ''Skeweringly accurate'' Evening Standard ''A compelling blend of morality and satire'' Sunday Mirror ''Witty and well-crafted - a delightful gothic fantasy'' Guardian

Una novela maravillosa galardonada con el Guardian Children''s Fiction Prize. Ésta es la historia de un niño llamado Kester. Es un niño muy especial, aunque él aún lo ignora. Ahora mismo, lo único que sabe es esto: 1. En su habitación hay una bandada de palomas alborotadas. 2. Le están hablando. 3. Su vida nunca volverá a ser como antes... Críticas: «Una novela escrita con un estilo muy gráfico y trepidante [...]. Muy recomendable.» The Times «Ingeniosa, llena de risas, lágrimas y suspense.» The Sunday Times «Me ha entusiasmado.» The Guardian «Más vale que la segunda entrega llegue pronto.» The Observer «Un libro maravillosamente extraño y extrañamente maravilloso.» Financial Times

Aquesta és la història d''un nen anomenat Kester. És extraordinari, però ell encara no ho sap. Tot el que sap en aquest moment és que: 1. Hi ha un estol de coloms excitats a la seva habitació... 2. Estan parlant amb ell... 3. La seva vida mai més tornarà a ser la mateixa.

FROM THE WINNER OF THE GUARDIAN CHILDREN''S FICTION PRIZE A thrilling animal adventure for fans of Roald Dahl, David Walliams and Katherine Rundell This is the story of a boy named Kester. He has rescued the last wild animals in the world, and saved his capital city from destruction. But now he must face his greatest challenge yet, because: 1. The only blue whale on the planet has brought news from across the ocean 2. A mysterious steel dome has risen from the Four Towers 3. Out there, somewhere, a brave mouse holds the key to the future...

Twelve-year-old Kester Jaynes thought he had discovered the last wild animals in the land. He thought his adventure was over. He was wrong. Below the sparkling city of Premium, deep underground, a dark wild remains: animals who believe the time is right to rise up against their human enemies. And soon Kester realizes: he is the only one who can stop them. Kester Jaynes saved the animals. Can he save the humans too? The sequel to Piers Torday''s The Last Wild takes the adventure from country to city, with all of the first book''s excitement, humor, and heart.

"A hugely inventive adventure." —Eoin Colfer, New York Times bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series In a world where animals are slowly fading into extinction, twelve-year-old Kester Jaynes feels as if he hardly exists either. He’s been locked away in a home for troubled children and is unable to speak a word. Then one night, a flock of talking pigeons and a bossy cockroach come to help him escape, and he discovers that he can speak—to them. And the animals need him. Only Kester, with the aid of a stubborn, curious girl named Polly, can help them survive. The animals saved Kester. But can he save them? "When ninety-nine pigeons smash through the windows of Kester''s prison and carry him North to the last of the animals…. it''s a moment as thrilling as when James flies off in the Giant Peach. Highly recommended" —The Times (UK) “Combines a great fondness for animals with an appreciation of the freakish…. The reserved narrative tone and tender yet peculiar view of animals give this piece its own offbeat flavor.” —Kirkus Reviews “Alternately somber, thrilling, and silly.” —Publishers Weekly

Zauberhaft, herzzerreißend und wunderbar humorvoll In einer Welt, in der keine Tiere mehr existieren, kommt sich auch der 12-jährige Kester manchmal vor wie der Letzte seiner Art. Zumindest in dem Mentorium für Problemkinder, in dem er lebt und wo alle so tun, als sei mit ihm etwas nicht in Ordnung. Als er dann auf einen Schwarm sprechender Tauben trifft, denkt Kester, jetzt werde er völlig verrückt. Aber diese Tiere haben ihm etwas mitzuteilen ... Sie befreien Kester und bringen ihn in die Wildnis zu einem Ort, an dem die letzten wilden Tiere verborgen vor der Welt überlebt haben. Ihr weiser Anführer, ein mächtiger Hirsch, bittet Kester um Hilfe, und gemeinsam begeben sie sich auf eine große Reise, begleitet von einem vorwitzigen Wolfsjungen, einer eitlen Katzendiva, einer tanzenden Feldmaus, einer philosophischen weißen Taube und einem eigensinnigen Mädchen namens Polly. Ein großartiger Abenteuerroman – dramatisch, bildgewaltig und gefühlsgeladen.