"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
"A thousand miles ago, in a country east of the jungle and south of the mountains, there lived a firework-maker called Lalchand and his daughter, Lila."
Lila, the heroine of Philip Pullman's charming fable, was, as a baby, "a cross little thing, always crying and refusing her food, but Lalchand built a cradle for her in the corner of the workshop, where she could see the sparks play and listen to the fizz and crackle of the gunpowder." Once out of her cradle, she showed a marked talent for pyrotechnics, even inventing her own fireworks with names like Tumbling Demons and Shimmering Coins. Nevertheless, when Lila tells her father she'd like to become a master firework-maker, he's shocked. Firework-making is no job for a girl, he tells her; besides, with her burned fingers and singed eyebrows, he's afraid he'll never be able to find a husband for her.
If Lalchand is horrified by Lila's ambitions, his daughter is equally appalled by the prospect of a husband. Instead, she decides to run away to Mount Merapi, where every firework-maker must go to claim some of the royal sulphur from Razvani the Fire-Fiend. Lila's adventures on the road to Merapi alternate with those of her best friend, Chulak, and his talking white elephant, Hamlet, who set out after her when they learn something that could mean life or death for Lila. Along the way, they meet pirates, wild animals, and supernatural beings of every stripe until, at last, Lila must face the scariest obstacle of all: her own fear. Pullman invests The Firework-Maker's Daughter with wit, wonder, and more than a few goose bumps. The charm of the prose is reflected in the black and white illustrations by S. Saelig Gallagher that punctuate this slim novel. Though not as sophisticated as Pullman's remarkable fantasy novels The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife, this engaging story does share a courageous heroine, an exciting adventure, and a singular philosophy that ties everything together in a deeply satisfying denouement. (Ages 9 to 12) --Alix Wilber
It is only after Lila has gone that Chulak discovers the other half of the secret -- that Lila needs a flask of magic water from the Goddess of Emerald Lake or she will perish in the flames. So Chulak and Hamlet, the talking white elephant, set off to find Lila -- before it's too late....
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
US$ 6.75
Within U.S.A.
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. S. Saelig Gallagher (illustrator). First Edition. First American Edition, First Printing with full number line. New unread As New book in As New dust jacket. All our books are bubble wrapped and shipped in a sturdy box with Delivery Confirmation. NO remainder mark, NO previous owner markings or inscriptions, NOT price clipped, NOT a Book Club Edition, NOT an Ex-Lib. Dust jacket covered in protective clear wrapper. Seller Inventory # 015767
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. Buy for Great customer experience. Seller Inventory # GoldenDragon0590187198
Book Description Condition: New. Fast Shipping - Safe and secure Mailer. Seller Inventory # 521PY6002KC8
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. Brand New Copy. Seller Inventory # BBB_new0590187198
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New. Seller Inventory # Wizard0590187198
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New Copy. Customer Service Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # think0590187198
Book Description Condition: new. Seller Inventory # FrontCover0590187198
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Seller Inventory # Holz_New_0590187198
Book Description Condition: New. Book is in NEW condition. 0.75. Seller Inventory # 0590187198-2-1
Book Description Condition: New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title! 0.75. Seller Inventory # Q-0590187198