The Time of Green Magic by Hilary McKay

The Time of Green Magic  by Hilary McKay

By Hilary McKay (author)

"Award-winning Hilary McKay weaves a richly-imagined story combining magic and family in an adventure tinged with danger and the unexpected"

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When Abi’s newly forged family moves to an eccentric new home which is totally covered in ivy, strange things begin to happen to her and to her step-brothers Louis and Max. With their parents either away or too busy to notice, Abi finds herself falling into the books she is reading – she can feel the damp of the sea and taste the salt on her fingers - while Louie tempts an unusual and dangerous animal companion into his bedroom from the ivy.

Can Abi and Max help Louie get rid of his dangerous new friend and will things get back to normal when their parents come home? Hilary McKay’s storytelling is vivid; she makes magic seem real while also showing why believing in it is so important.

From Costa Award-winner Hilary McKay comes The Time of Green Magic: a beautiful, spell-binding novel about family, magic, an old house and a mysterious visitor . . .

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From Costa Award-winner Hilary McKay comes The Time of Green Magic : a beautiful, spell-binding novel about family, magic, an old house and a mysterious visitor . . .

Abi and her two step-brothers, Max and Louis, find that strange things happen when they are alone in their eerie, ivy-covered new house. Abi, reading alone, finds herself tumbling deep into books, while Louis summons a startling guest through his bedroom window. Even Max has started to see shapes in the shadows . . .

Their busy parents see none of it - but Louis' secret visitor is growing too alarming to keep secret, and he finds he cannot manage without Max and Abi's help. Can they find out where the mysterious creature has come from - and how to get it back there?

Hilary McKay has a rare gift for novels about families and their interplay. -- LoveReading4Kids

Vivid, hilarious, and heartbreaking, Hilary McKay's radiant characters touch my heart like real people, friends and loved ones I know well. Possibly the finest writer of our time. -- Elizabeth Wein

wise and kind and utterly heart-wrenching and full of characters you will give your whole heart to -- Anna James

McKay is a superb writer -- Sally Morris - Daily Mail

McKay couples warmth and grace with wry humour like nobody else out there -- Katherine Rundell - The Guardian

Hilary McKay is one of the great writers of children's fiction -- Sarah Hughes - Independent

Picking up a book by Hilary McKay is like slipping on bed socks on a chilly night. She knows how to look after her readers by ensuring that her characters are interesting and loveable from the start . . . -- The Times on The Skylarks' War , selected as Children's Book of the Year

Hilary McKay won the Costa Children's Book Award for The Skylarks' War , the Guardian Fiction Prize for The Exiles, and the Smarties and the Whitbread Award for The Exiles in Love and Saffy's Ange l respectively. Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales was her first book with Macmillan Children's Books and is a critically acclaimed collection of clever retellings.

You can read her character Rose Casson's blog by clicking here - and Rose's tweets on the right hand side of this page.

Q & A with Hilary McKay What is your earliest childhood memory? Watching steam trains with my grandfather. He died before I was two years old, so that is a very early memory.

If you could be any animal, what would it be and why? Well, who could turn down the gift of flight? Or travel without luggage? Or a life spent following the sun? Without doubt, I would be a swallow. I realise this means a lifetime of eating flies, but I think it would be worth it.

What is your dream holiday destination? I would start at the Sangre de Cristo mountains in New Mexico and travel South through Central America, along the coast to Peru, then down through Chile across to the Falklands and on to Antarctica, which I would circumnavigate. Then I would travel North to New Zealand where I would spend a long time warming up and then across to Australia. I would spend quite a long time in Sydney and go up into the Blue Mountains (I might go sapphire hunting there) and then to the Great Barrier Reef (of course). That would be far enough for me.

What is your morning routine? Alas, I do not have a morning routine.

If you could have one special talent, what would it be? Singing, undoubtedly. That would make me the happiest. But I have a friend whose talent is languages and I envy that one very much.

Likes: Millions of things! Books, cats, honey, letters from readers (hint, hint), real music, apples, swimming in cold water, chocolate coated ginger biscuits, trees.

Dislikes: Putting things away, litter, loud TV, hot rooms, being told what to think.

3 words that best descibe me: Untidy, happy, hopeful!

A Secret that not many people know: I am a VERY slow reader!

Hilary McKay shares her new novel Becoming Grace for Women's History Month

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A magical book that is full of suspense, perfect for children age 8 upwards. I couldn't put it down

I really loved this book and couldn't put it down. It's magical and full of suspense and a little bit creepy.... Read Full Review

A wonderful extravaganza of adventure and suspense. Amazing!

The Time Of Green Magic is an extraordinary read about a house where books open and take the reader into to world on the pages. Once you get into it it's hard to stop almost as if your a spectator of the story not just reading the events but seeing them and watching them develop.... Read Full Review

I would definitely recommend this book! It’s mysterious and intriguing.

The book was quite good. I thought this because it would really get you hooked in and makes you not want to put the book down. The book is about Abi, Max and Louis who live in a house covered in ivy. The house uses green magic to make things happen......

I would definitely recommend this book!... Read Full Review

From Costa Award-winner Hilary McKay comes The Time of Green Magic: a beautiful, spell-binding novel about family, magic, an old house and a mysterious visitor . . . Abi and her two step-brothers, Max and Louis, find that strange things happen when they are alone in their eerie, ivy-covered new house.

The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Time of Green Magic and determined it is suitable for children aged 7-10 years old

The Time of Green Magic features in the following genres: Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Fantasy / Magical, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Recommendations, Featured Books for 7+ readers, Julia Eccleshare's Picks of the Month, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels

Paperback, Hardback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.

The Time of Green Magic was written by Hilary McKay and published by Macmillan Children's Books

The Time of Green Magic has 213 pages

£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.

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