'In a singularly important publishing even, the first complete collection of Aiken's 24 beloved Armitage cycle of stories appears here for the first time. The family who dwells in and out of magical worlds transcends fantasy and enters the world of classic, entrancing literature. Belongs on every child's bookshelf. For all ages.'—Smithsonian Magazine Notable Books for Children 2008'For sheer charm it's hard to beat these wonderful, dead-pan comic tales about one family's adventures—nearly always on a Monday—with ghosts, witches, time travel, the Furies and every sort of magic.'—Michael Dirda, The Washington Post Book World'Buy it to read to your kids, and you'll find yourself sneaking tastes on the sly; a little Aiken is a fine thing to have in your system at any age.'—Salon.com'Joan Aiken's invention seemed inexhaustible, her high spirits a blessing, her sheer storytelling zest a phenomenon. She was a literary treasure, and her books will continue to delight for many years to come.'—Philip Pullman“The best kind of writer, strange and spooky and surprising, never sentimental or whimsical.”—Kelly Link'Gathered under one cover from several Aiken collections, the magical, eccentric and very British Armitage family reappears in a collection of 24 stories, four never before published. The Armitages'wacky magic (usually a Monday occurrence) and that of their fantastical town, a place filled with witches and magical beings, rises from the pages when matters go slightly awry, in the manner of Edward Eager and E. Nesbit.'—Kirkus Reviews'Readers of all ages have the opportunity to enjoy some of the best writing by one of the most superb and timeless fantasy writers.'—Green Man Review'The Armitage's world grows richer as it is extended. This is a collection of stories which allow—in fact demand—the reader joins in with their own imagination and remakes the story inside their own head. Aiken's pragmatism shows through in her stories. Instead of remaining in or reflecting upon the past like some of her contemporaries, they show an author making the best of the world and coming out ahead with humor and imagination.” —January Magazine'Each of the tales brims with old-fashioned adventure and charm. An excellent way to show Harry Potter fans that magic can come in small doses too.'—Author MagazineThis is the first complete collection of Joan Aiken's beloved Armitage stories—and it includes four new, unpublished stories. After Mrs. Armitage makes a wish, the Armitage family has “interesting and unusual” experiences every Monday (and the occasional Tuesday). The Board of Incantation tries to take over their house to use as a school for young wizards; the Furies come to stay; and a cutout from a cereal box leads into a beautiful and tragic palace garden. Charming and magical, the uncommon lives of the Armitage family will thrill and delight readers young and old. Includes Joan Aiken's “Prelude” from Armitage, Armitage, Fly Away Home, as well as introductions from Joan Aiken's daughter, Lizza Aiken, and best-selling author Garth Nix. Illustrated by Andi Watson.Best known for The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Joan Aiken (1924-2004) wrote over a hundred books and won the Guardian and Edgar Allan Poe awards. After her first husband's death, she supported her family by copyediting at Argosy magazine and an advertising agency before turning to fiction. She went on to write for Vogue, Good Housekeeping, Vanity Fair, Argosy, Women's Own, and many others.

Joan Aiken; Andi Watson; Garth Nix; Lizza Aiken

Aiken, Joan, 1924-2004; Watson, Andi, ill

Small Beer Press; Distributed to the trade by Consortium

Peapod Press

Jelly Ink

1st ed., Easthampton, MA, Massachusetts, 2008

United States, United States of America

Easthampton MA, USA, October 2008

First Edition, PS, 2008

"I wish we'll have two children called Mark and Harriet. And I hope lots of interesting and unusual things will happen to them. It would be nice if they had a fairy godmother, for instance. And a phoenix or something out of the ordinary for a pet. We could have a special day for interesting and unusual things to happen - say, Mondays. But not *always* Mondays and not *only* Mondays or that would get a bit dull."
As a result of their mother's honeymoon wish Mark and Harriet Armitage have a fairy godmother, a pet unicorn, and are prepared for anything life throws at them (especially, but not always, on a Monday): hatching a griffin in the airing cupboard, Latin lessons with a ghost, furious Furies on the doorstep, and an enchanted garden locked inside a cereal packet. Life with the Armitages can be magical, funny, terrifying - but never, ever dull."

Age 10+
Follows the adventures of Mr. and Mrs. Armitage and their children , Harriet, Mark, and little Milo, as they try to find innovative ways to cope with a variety of extraordinary events including stray unicorns in the garden, lessons in magic that go awry, and eviction from their house to make way for a young magicians' seminary

<p><P>The first complete collection of the Armitage stories&#151;including four published here for the first time.</p>

2023-10-09