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The Box of Delights

Book Synopsis

And now, Master Harker, now that the Wolves are Running, perhaps you could do something to stop their Bite?’

A magical old man has asked Kay to protect the Box of Delights, a Box with which he can travel through time. But Kay is in danger: Abner Brown will stop at nothing to get his hands on it. The police don’t believe Kay, so when his family and the Bishop are scrobbled up just before Christmas, he knows he must act alone …

John Masefield’s classic children’s book is considered to be one of the great works of modern children’s fiction. Magical, fantastical and filled with vivid, rich characters – brought to life in this edition by Quentin Blake’s stunning artwork – The Box of Delights and its sequel The Midnight Folk are a must-read for any child. A genuine fantasy classic in the tradition of Peter Pan, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland or The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. If you like Harry Potter, you’ll love this. A wonderful book for early readers aged 8 and up.

Recently adapted for the stage by Piers Torday, bestselling author of The Last Wild.

Our Review Panel says...

I went to see Piers Torday’s adaptation of The Box of Delights at Wilton’s Music Hall back in 2017, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for me. It reminded me exactly of the sort of thing I was trying to do in my own book: chiefly, it reminded me of the legend of Herne the Hunter, who lived and died in (and supposedly still haunts) Windsor Great Park where I grew up. I realised that a huge part of my book was about those stories I’d heard as a child about the park, and this terrifying figure of a man with antlers who some say could still be seen there. He doesn’t feature in the book – but in searching for a similar figures, I remembered The Green Man, who becomes an instrumental part of the plot and world of The Midnight Guardians.

PS: I tried to find the oak tree where Herne the Hunter supposedly hanged himself, but it’s now part of Prince Andrew’s private golf course, and the security guard patiently informed me that he would tazer me if I tried to enter.

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