Is (short for Isabett) Twite is the younger sister of Dido, every bit as spunky and compelling as her older sibling and with the same habit of attracting bizarre adventures. The two unputdownable novels in which she is the heroine, "Is" and "Cold Shoulder Road", are published here in a wonderfully satisfying double volume. Is, travelling north to find a lost cousin, discovers an underground kingdom where children work as slaves in horrifying conditions, under the rule of the sinister Gold Kingy. A year or two on, with Simon Battersea now on the throne, her aunt Ruth Twite disappears from Cold Shoulder Road. Is needs all her courage and resourcefulness as she encounters the vicious gang of Merrie Gentry and other alarming forces that are at work across the country.
Joan Aiken (1924-2004) was the daughter of Pulitzer prize winning poet Conrad Aiken and started writing herself from the age of five. During her lifetime she published over one hundred books for children and adults, including the acclaimed Wolves of Willoughby Chase series. In the UK she received an MBE from the Queen for her services to Children's Literature.
This year sees the publication of a brand NEW story collection - The Monkey's Wedding - with previously unpublished material that shows Aiken on top form. This collection of funny, spooky, unexpected but classic Aiken stories has received wonderful reviews and will delight her readers. See below for details.
Her work continues to be adapted for film and television; she is established as a consummate storyteller,and recognized as one of the best loved authors of the twentieth century.
"The Wonderful World of Joan Aiken" is at www.joanaiken.com
