A Finder's Magic

PEARCE, Philippa

ISBN 10: 1406319821 / ISBN 13: 9781406319828

Published by Walker Books, London, 2010

About this Item

Paperback: illustrated in b/w by HELEN CRAIG, lower corners slightly bumped, foxing on foredges and also some internally, stain on front flyleaf that also shows through to next couple of pages, else g. tall 8vo, 127pp. Till fears his missing dog, Bess, is gone for ever. But then a strange little man who introduces himself as "a Finder" offers to help.

Seller Inventory # 19D121

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A Finder's Magic
• Publisher: Walker Books, London
• Publication Date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1406319821
• ISBN 13: 9781406319828
• Binding: Soft cover
• Illustrator: Helen Craig
• Edition: First Thus
• Condition: Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Children's

About this title

Synopsis

This is a beautifully crafted fantastical mystery about a little boy called Till who loses his dog Bess. A mysterious stranger called Mr Finder offers to help Till find his dog, and they interview various witnesses including a heron, a mole, a riddling cat - and Miss Mousey, whose sketch of a peaceful riverbank offers a vital clue. The quest to find Bess is full of magic but Till begins to mistrust his supposed ally Mr Finder - until at last he realizes the truth, and they track down the real culprit, a finder who likes to keep what he finds. At the end of this enchanting story Till is reunited with his beloved Bess and a new book - of the story - will be born. This is the last book by Philippa Pearce, one of the twentieth century's greatest children's novelists, beautifully illustrated by Helen Craig of Angelina Ballerina fame.

About the Author

Philippa Pearce and illustrator Helen Craig share two grandsons, Nat and Will, the sons of their children Sally and Ben. Philippa wrote A Finder's Magic for Helen to illustrate, and the name of the book's hero, "Tillawn" (Till), is an amalgam of the boys' names. The peculiar relationship between the old and the very young is a constant theme in Philippa's writing and when, late in life, she had the "unexpected delight" of two small grandsons, it gave her a renewed burst of creative energy. She called being a grandmother "a privilege, a rare, almost inexplicable pleasure - not just fun but something different, more." Philippa Pearce died in December 2006. The Philippa Pearce Memorial Lecture is held annually in September.