Synopses & Reviews
Life in a small town can be pretty boring when everyone avoids you like the plague. But after their father unwittingly sends them to stay with an aunt whos away on holiday, the Hardscrabble children take off on an adventure that begins in the seedy streets of London and ends in a peculiar sea village where, according to legend, a monstrous half-beast boy roams the woods. . . . In this wickedly dark, unusual, and compelling novel, Ellen Potter masterfully tells the tale of one deliciously strange family and a secret that changes everything.
Review
"Narrated quite personably by one of the Hardscrabbles who refuses to be identified but is obvious, the story is fresh, funny and surprising. The sibling dynamics — alternately testy and touching — are believable, as are the wonderfully odd characters....A quirky charmer." Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Review
"Hilarious and heartbreaking, wild and down-to-earth....The combination of fantasy and realism makes a compelling story, and young people will relate easily to the characters' struggles." Booklist
Review
"Metafictional flourishes ('If there are illustrations in this book, I'd prefer that this last part not be shown') keep us amused and on our toes as Potter tackles some (at book's end) serious topics from a position both gothic-cheeky and compassionate." The Horn Book
Review
"The gentle melancholy that limns all of Potter's books tinges the humor in this one as well, as if all of the oddities and quirks are both a distraction from and a response to a world rendered absurd by pain and loss. Appealing voice, setting, character, a surprise ending, and a touch of sweetness all add up to a delicious read." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Synopsis
Life in a small town can be pretty boring when everyone avoids you like the plague. But after their father unwittingly sends them to stay with an aunt who's away on holiday, the Hardscrabble children take off on an adventure that begins in the seedy streets of London and ends in a peculiar sea village where, legend has it, a monstrous creature lives who is half-boy and half-animal...
In this wickedly dark, unusual, and compelling novel, Ellen Potter masterfully tells the tale of one deliciously strange family and a secret that changes everything.
Synopsis
In this wickedly dark, unusual, and compelling novel, Potter masterfully tells the tale of one deliciously strange family and a secret that changes everything.
Synopsis
A dark, clever, finely crafted tale about three peculiar children and a shocking family secret.
Synopsis
When the Hardscrabble children wind up in London alone, they find they have a mystery or two on their hands. Will they discover what has become of their mum? And who is the Kneebone Boy living in a nearby castle?
Synopsis
Life in a small town can be pretty boring when everyone avoids you like the plague. But after their father unwittingly sends them to stay with an aunt whos away on holiday, the Hardscrabble children take off on an adventure that begins in the seedy streets of London and ends in a peculiar sea village where legend has it a monstrous creature lives who is half boy and half animal. . . .
In this wickedly dark, unusual, and compelling novel, Ellen Potter masterfully tells the tale of one deliciously strange family and a secret that changes everything.
About the Author
Ellen Potter is the author of books including Slob, Pish Posh, and Olivia Kidney. With Anne Mazer she is also the author of Spilling Ink: A Young Writers Handbook. Potter grew up in a high-rise apartment building in New York Citys Upper West Side, where she exercised her early creativity by making up stories about the neighbors she saw on the elevator. When she was 11 years old, she realized all the best books were written for people her age, and so she decided to become a childrens book author. She studied creative writing at Binghamton University, and then worked many different jobs while continuing to write. She was a dog groomer, construction worker, art teacher, and waitress. She lives in upstate New York with her husband, son and a motley assortment of badly behaved animals.