Return to the magical world of Platform 13 in Sibéal Pounder's new novel inspired by Eva Ibbotson's classic, The Secret of Platform 13!
"That's the thing about magic -- it's only real if you believe in it."
The Island of Mist is under siege and Prince Ben and his best friend Odge Gribble -- a hag -- are in hiding. Desperate to find out why the island's protective mist is disappearing, Odge travels through an enchanted gump to Vienna, in search of a mistmaker expert.
But instead Odge finds Lina, a nine-year-old girl looking for adventure. With the help of friends old and new and some very interesting magic, Odge and Lina must discover the secret of the mist, before they lose their beloved island completely.
Prologue
No one noticed the young woman in bright blue boots walking along the platform at Vienna Central Station. I suppose you could argue she was easy to miss: just an average-height teenager with a long black bob and mismatched eyes of green and brown. She had always hated how human she looked, but even she had to admit it came in useful sometimes.
A man with a face as angry as crumpled paper was the only one to spot her. She was in his way, so he barged straight into her, as if the platform belonged more to him than it did to her.
“WATCH WHERE YOU’RE GOING, LADY!” he shouted as they collided.
Odge Gribble didn’t break her stride as she turned and said, “It’s hag, actually.”
Eva Ibbotson, born Maria Charlotte Michelle Wiesner (1925–2010), was an Austrian-born British novelist, known for her children's books. Some of her novels for adults have been successfully reissued for the young adult market in recent years. For the historical novel Journey to the River Sea (Macmillan, 2001), she won the Smarties Prize in category 9–11 years, garnered unusual commendation as runner-up for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, and made the Carnegie Medal, Whitbread Award, and Blue Peter Book Award shortlists. She was a finalist for the 2010 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize at the time of her death. Her last book, The Abominables, was one of eight books on the longlist for the same award in 2012.
View titles by Eva Ibbotson
Return to the magical world of Platform 13 in Sibéal Pounder's new novel inspired by Eva Ibbotson's classic, The Secret of Platform 13!
"That's the thing about magic -- it's only real if you believe in it."
The Island of Mist is under siege and Prince Ben and his best friend Odge Gribble -- a hag -- are in hiding. Desperate to find out why the island's protective mist is disappearing, Odge travels through an enchanted gump to Vienna, in search of a mistmaker expert.
But instead Odge finds Lina, a nine-year-old girl looking for adventure. With the help of friends old and new and some very interesting magic, Odge and Lina must discover the secret of the mist, before they lose their beloved island completely.
Excerpt
Prologue
No one noticed the young woman in bright blue boots walking along the platform at Vienna Central Station. I suppose you could argue she was easy to miss: just an average-height teenager with a long black bob and mismatched eyes of green and brown. She had always hated how human she looked, but even she had to admit it came in useful sometimes.
A man with a face as angry as crumpled paper was the only one to spot her. She was in his way, so he barged straight into her, as if the platform belonged more to him than it did to her.
“WATCH WHERE YOU’RE GOING, LADY!” he shouted as they collided.
Odge Gribble didn’t break her stride as she turned and said, “It’s hag, actually.”
Eva Ibbotson, born Maria Charlotte Michelle Wiesner (1925–2010), was an Austrian-born British novelist, known for her children's books. Some of her novels for adults have been successfully reissued for the young adult market in recent years. For the historical novel Journey to the River Sea (Macmillan, 2001), she won the Smarties Prize in category 9–11 years, garnered unusual commendation as runner-up for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, and made the Carnegie Medal, Whitbread Award, and Blue Peter Book Award shortlists. She was a finalist for the 2010 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize at the time of her death. Her last book, The Abominables, was one of eight books on the longlist for the same award in 2012.
View titles by Eva Ibbotson
