Synopses & Reviews
This much-anticipated follow-up to Jonathan Auxier’s exceptional debut,
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, it’s also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling.
The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. With Auxier’s exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.
Praise for The Night Gardener
STARRED REVIEWS
"Lots of creepiness, memorable characters, a worthy message, Auxier’s atmospheric drawings and touches of humor amid the horror make this cautionary tale one readers will not soon forget."
--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Storytelling and the secret desires of the heart wind together in this atmospheric novel that doubles as a ghost tale."
--School Library Journal, starred review
"Auxier achieves an ideal mix of adventure and horror, offering all of it in elegant, atmospheric language that forces the reader to slow down a bit and revel in both the high-quality plot and the storytelling itself."
--Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"All proper scary stories require a spooky, menacing atmosphere, and Auxier (Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes) delivers the goods with his precise descriptions of the gothic setting and teasing hints of mystery and suspense."
--The Horn Book Magazine
Summer 2014 Kids' Indie Next List
Synopsis
A New York Times bestseller, The Night Gardener is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, it s also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling.
The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. With Auxier s exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.
Praise for The Night Gardener
STARRED REVIEWS
"Lots of creepiness, memorable characters, a worthy message, Auxier s atmospheric drawings and touches of humor amid the horror make this cautionary tale one readers will not soon forget."
--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Storytelling and the secret desires of the heart wind together in this atmospheric novel that doubles as a ghost tale."
--School Library Journal, starred review
"Auxier achieves an ideal mix of adventure and horror, offering all of it in elegant, atmospheric language that forces the reader to slow down a bit and revel in both the high-quality plot and the storytelling itself."
--Bulletin of the Center for Children s Books
"All proper scary stories require a spooky, menacing atmosphere, and Auxier (Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes) delivers the goods with his precise descriptions of the gothic setting and teasing hints of mystery and suspense."
--The Horn Book Magazine
Summer 2014 Kids' Indie Next List
"
Synopsis
New York Times bestseller "Lots of creepiness, memorable characters, a worthy message, Arrasmith's atmospheric drawings and touches of humor amid the horror make this cautionary tale one readers will not soon forget." --Kirkus Reviews The Night Gardener is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James.
More than just a spooky tale, it's also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling. The story follows 14-year-old Molly and her younger brother, Kip, orphans fleeing the Irish famine who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious specter and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. They will be forced to make decisions that could spell their doom.
The master and mistress of the house, and their two children begin to grow pale and gaunt; their eyes and hair become dark and black. Entering the forbidden room at the top of the stairs, Molly finds a knothole in the tree there that magically produces whatever one wishes for (money, jewels, treats). The price, however, is one that most would not be willing to pay, the high, high price is a piece of the petitioner's soul. Footprints and dead leaves in the house reveal an evil nighttime visitor, the "Night Gardener" of the title.
With Auxier's exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.
Synopsis
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is the utterly beguiling tale of a blind 10-year-old orphan who has been schooled in a life of thievery. One fateful afternoon, he steals a box from a mysterious traveling haberdasher—a box that contains three pairs of magical eyes. When he tries the first pair, he is instantly transported to a hidden island, where he is presented with a special quest: to travel to the dangerous Vanished Kingdom and rescue a people in need. Along with his loyal sidekick—a knight who has been turned into an unfortunate combination of horse and cat—and the magic eyes, he embarks on an unforgettable, swashbuckling adventure to discover his true destiny.
Praise for Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes
“I absolutely loved this book…As soon as I read the opening lines of the book, I was hooked.” – WIRED’s Geed Dad blog
“Auxier has a juggler’s dexterity with prose that makes this fantastical tale quicken the senses.” – Kirkus
“The fast-paced, episodic story, accompanied by Auxier's occasional pen-and-ink drawings, is inventive, unpredictable, and--like its hero--nimble.” – Publishers Weekly
“Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is as delightful a magical story as readers ages 9-14 will hope to find. Wholly captivating.” – The Wall Street Journal’s Bookshelf
“In his debut novel, Auxier writes a charmingly well written story with a dark edge and entertaining twists in language and plot to capture and keep the attention of even the most reluctant reader.” – Library Media Connection
Awards and Honors:
2011 ABC New Voices Project Choice
2011 BookPage Best Book of 2011, Middle Grade
Synopsis
The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its inhabitants are not quite what they seem. Soon, the children are confronted by a mysterious stranger—and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives.
A mesmerizing read and a testament to the magical power of storytelling, The Night Gardener is a spine-chilling fable in the tradition of Washington Irving and Edgar Allan Poe.
About the Author
Jonathan Auxier teaches creative writing and childrens literature. He is the author of Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, which the Wall Street Journal called “as delightful a magical story as readers ages 9-14 will hope to find.” He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and daughter. You can visit him online at thescop.com.