Big George - Softcover

Eric Pringle

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0747555443 ISBN 13: 9780747555445

Publisher: Bloomsbury, 2002

Synopsis

'This book is about England's very first visitor from Outer Space in The Year of our Lord 1100. It is the story of how he got his name and how, helped by the smallest of girls, he became The Biggest Hero England Ever Had.' When something heads towards England very fast and then crash-lands in the forest, Simpkins Sampkins the poacher gets the shock of his life. He has just seen a man with blue and green hair and a giraffe neck. He has a face that glows in the dark and looks like a full moon up in the sky. He is also the size of several large trees. So Simpkins Sampkins runs away and it is up to Tilly the miller's daughter to realise that Big George doesn't speak a word of English and is harmless. She also needs to protect him from the frightened people around her who are prepared to attack anything they don't understand. But there is something about George that will solve all the problems...A delightfully funny story written with a light touch. It has a historical setting and also gently introduces how easy it is to be scared and aggressive towards something purely through the fear of the unknown.

About this title

About the Author

Eric Pringle has written many plays for radio and television and has also done many dramatisations. These include Doctor Who for television and dramatisations of Thomas Hardy, Joan Aiken and HE Bates for Radio 4. This is his first children's book for Bloomsbury. Eric lives in Ledbury, Herefordshire. The illustrator: Colin Paine has illustrated The Conjuror's Cookbook series for Bloomsbury. Colin lives in Worthing, West Sussex.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Foreword

This book is about England's very first visitor from outer space.

It is the story of how he got his name and how, helped by the smallest of girls, he became the Biggest Hero England Ever Had.

These things happened a long time ago, in the Year of Our Lord 1103.

Close your eyes. Imagine that time...

The Norman Conquest happened only thirty-seven years ago, and now a Norman, King Henry the First, sits upon the throne of England. He has two and a half million subjects, most of them as poor as church mice.

England is full of dark places. There are deep, dark, trackless forests roamed by deer and wolves and wild boar. There are dark mountain regions where people are afraid to wander and wildcats hiss in the mist. And everywhere the people believe in the dark power of magic, in wizards and witches and the power of potions.

In this half-civilized land, mighty barons hunt in the forests by day, for sport. At night, hungry poachers steal through the trees looking for food.

This is everyday life in the Year of Our Lord 1103.

Nothing extraordinary is happening. But it's about to:

 

Listen!

Do you hear that noise?

Something is approaching very fast. Heading for England.

Here it comes...

About this edition

• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0747555443
• ISBN 13: 9780747555445
• Binding: Paperback