Synopses & Reviews
Ever since their mother was wrongfully imprisoned, Clarrie and her brother, Will, have been forced to live with their negligent uncle in England. Uncle Len works as a ventriloquist in the nearby music hall, and although he and his dummy, Frozen Billy, put on a good show, Uncle Len is constantly drinking away his pay. Then Will hatches a plan to improve the act – by performing as Uncle Len’s second dummy – and soon they’re making more money than ever. But to Clarrie’s horror, just as things should be looking up, they begin to turn terribly sour.
Complete with detailed pen-and-ink line art, Anne Fine’s chilling Edwardian drama brings to life a wooden stage dummy who may just have the power to destroy an entire family.
Synopsis
Left in the care of an n'er-do-well uncle, siblings Clarrie and Will devise an elaborate plan involving ventriloquist's dolls, costumes, and forged boarding passes to reunite their separated family.
Synopsis
A moving, humorous and beautifully observed tale set in the Victorian music-hall world.
Their parents away, brother and sister Clarrie and Will must live with their Uncle Len, a ventriloquist on the Victorian music-hall stage whose dummy, Frozen Billy, gives Clarrie the creeps. Soon Will is part of the act and Clarrie is scared that Frozen Billy is taking over their family. Can she find the determination and courage to break free from their uncle, and help her family set off for a new life in Australia?
With Anne Fine's terrific characters and sharply observed dialogue, this is a beautifully written tale about two young people with real dreams who struggle not to be destroyed by made-up dreams on a stage.
"From the Hardcover edition.
About the Author
ANNE FINE is the former Children’s Laureate of Britain and has written over forty books, including The Diary of a Killer Cat. She lives in County Durham, England. GEORGINA MCBAIN lives in Northern England.