Tilly Millpepper and the Wishing Stone - Softcover

Narracott, J E

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1999621360 ISBN 13: 9781999621360

Publisher: Cavalcade Books, 2019

Synopsis

What would you wish for if you were given a wishing stone? Yes, a real wishing stone because that’s what Uncle Leonardo gave Tilly Millpepper on her tenth birthday. As things turned out, it was just the beginning of her magical adventures.

When she and her family move temporarily from London to a large house in the Essex countryside, they discover several unexpected animals, including a pony for Tilly to learn to ride. But that’s not all they discover, for there is also a creepy witch-like housekeeper, who seems to be looking for something.

About this title

About the Author:

Believe it or not, it's taken J.E. Narracott almost sixty years to actually write a series of books for children. It's not her first book series; she's already written and had published a five-novel series for adults under a pen name, but it is her first series for children. As a child she loved reading and dreamt about writing a children's book, just like Enid Blyton. In the Fifties writing stories in class was encouraged, something a very young J.E. Narracott found she enjoyed doing. On one particular day, which she has never forgotten, a teacher asked the class to write about someone entering a room and what they might find there. Imagine her delight when her teacher chose her story to read out in class. It began, 'I plucked up courage...' She has used this phrase in all her books, a little thank you to that teacher for making a shy pupil feel special that day. So, what was the inspiration for the Tilly Millpepper series? Well in her teens J.E. Narracott was lucky enough to have the love and friendship of a horse called Sam. In those days, her family lived up a lane on the edge of an Essex village. The main gate to Sam's field backed on to the lane and every school day, like clockwork, Sam would be waiting for her at that five-bar gate. He would whinny the minute he saw her, then kick up his heels and canter to the fence surrounding their house. They used to have long talks together; obviously she did the talking, but he was a good listener. Even after all this time, she still feels emotional when she remembers her friend. With Sam very much in mind, J.E. Narracott wanted to write a story to include horses. She had a name for a main character and wrote notes for her book over several years, but nothing seemed quite right. Then early one morning, a voice in her head said, 'Tilly Millpepper'. She keeps an iPad next to her bed and very quickly wrote Tilly Millpepper down in the note section and then drifted back to sleep. And so, just like that, Tilly Millpepper was born. It has taken J.E. Narracott more than half a century to fulfil a dream she had as a ten-year-old girl and hopes you enjoy reading about the magical world of Tilly Millpepper as much as she has enjoyed writing it.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cavalcade Books
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1999621360
• ISBN 13: 9781999621360
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 184
• Illustrator: Taylor Nina