It’s Christmas 1976 in a small town in South Wales, and eleven-year-old Noni and her dad are hiding from the bailiffs, behind the sofa. There’s no money left and Noni’s dad – who used to fix all the town’s broken things seems to be the most broken thing of all.
When Noni meets new friend Rebecca and borrows a library book, she realises that fixing the town’s old mobile library might be the thing to bring a spark back to her dad’s eyes.
But the library van is stuck on Mrs Williams’ driveway and has been since the Aberfan disaster ten years earlier. It is broken down beyond repair. Plus, according to the stories, Mrs Williams is a witch (she has a black cat, and she talks to the birds – so Noni is pretty sure this must be true). If Noni is going to have any hope of fixing the van and her dad, she’s going to need some friends to help her.
Together with stray dog Jones, Rebecca, young mechanic Clare and milk delivery boy Gareth, the four friends risk Mrs Williams’ wrath and opposition from the town mayor to try and get the library van restarted before the bailiffs come again.
But the town is still healing, and many don’t want to see the van return. It’s up to Noni and her friends to show everyone that the joy found in stories can bring them all back together.
