| Sneezlewort Rowanberry
Rootmuster Boggs the Seventh, a.k.a. Sneezle, the furry, impish, unsung
hero of A Midsummer Night's Faery Tale,
returns for another irresistible mystical adventure in THE
WINTER CHILD. Wendy Froud once again works her acclaimed artistic
magic, bringing Sneezle to life amid the abundant wonder of the faery
court of Old Oak Woodóthe oldest in the British Isles, steeped in elfin
history and traditionóand its irresistible community of sorcerers, wizards,
and goblins. Award-winning storyteller Terri Windling sends Sneezle on
a fantastic quest that has just the right touches of intrigue, menace,
and humor to entertain and enchant. |
© Wendy Froud
|
| On the longest night
of the year and the annual Midwinter's Eve celebration, Sneezle is decked
out in his festive red tails, eager to sing, dance, and, most of all,
eat with his faery friends. They hungrily admire the sweets to be served
after King Oberon and Queen Titania to toast the changing of the seasons.
Yet, something is amiss. The trees are still laden with fruit, not a flake
of snow has fallen on the green moss, and the air is uncomfortably warm.
Where is Winter? Despite the oddly unseasonable weather, the festival
happily proceedsóuntil the King's treasured amethyst cup disappears from
the table. Suspecting an uninvited guest of nabbing the royal goblet,
Sneezle enlists the aid of his trusted friend Twigóthe young thistle faery
who had courageously helped him rescue the Queen's Midsummer crown from
the clutches of an evil handmaiden. Without a moments hesitation, the
daring faery duo are hot on the trail of the mischievous prankster. |
© Wendy Froud
|
Sneezle and Twig quickly locate the
cup in the nest of a notorious Borroweróright next to a large golden
egg. To their amazement, the egg cracks open to reveal a tiny baby faery
inside (especially remarkable since faeries are customarily born from
earth, wind, water, or fire). Aptly naming the newborn Chick, Sneezle
and Twig set out to return the goblet to the King and to delight the
court ladies with their mysterious discovery. Little do they know that
the golden egg and the baby within hold the key to a greater mystery,
one that will send Sneezle and Twig on an epic adventure to confront
fierce goblins, malevolent wizards and see the world of faery brought
to the edge of war.
Readers of all ages will
revel in the classic tone of Terri's tale and the striking beauty and
lifelike detail of Wendy Froud's faery realm figures, showcased in exquisite,
large format tableau photographs by John Lawrence Jones under the art
direction of Good
Faeries/Bad Faeries creator Brian Froud. Captivating
and utterly magical, THE
WINTER CHILD is an enchanting contribution to The World of Froud
canon.
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Old
Oak Series #2: The Winter Child
Sneezle, the furry, impish,
unsung hero of A Midsummer Night's Faery Tale, returns for
another irresistible mystical adventure in THE WINTER CHILD. Wendy
Froud once again works her acclaimed artistic magic, bringing Sneezle
to life amid the abundant wonder of the faery court of Old Oak Wood,
the oldest in the British Isles, steeped in elfin history and tradition,
and its irresistible community of sorcerers, wizards, and goblins.
Award-winning storyteller Terri Windling sends Sneezle on a fantastic
quest that has just the right touches of intrigue, menace, and humor
to entertain and enchant.
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