A Finder's Magic

A Finder's Magic
Genre : Children's / YA
Published : 6 Oct 2008 - Walker
A beautifully crafted fantasy-mystery about a little boy called Tillawn who wakes up one morning to discover that his dog, Bess, is missing. Fortunately, Till discovers in the garden “an odd-looking little old man” who announces himself as a Finder. With the Finder’s help, Till sets off to look for his dog, interviewing various witnesses including a heron, a mole, a riddling cat and Miss Mousey, whose sketch of a peaceful riverbank offers a vital clue. The quest to find Bess is full of magic, but Till begins to mistrust his supposed ally Mr Finder - until at last he realizes the truth, and they track down the real culprit, a finder who likes to keep what he finds. All ends well, with the Finder having just enough magic to discover where the dog has been, and Till and Bess frolicking in bliss together. Illustrated by Helen Craig with the tender, fluent wit familiar from her much-loved Angelina Ballerina, this is an enchanting story with an enduring appeal.

Reviews

Philippa Pearce… always seems to seek out what deeply matters not only to children at the time of reading but in the future... with classical simplicity but deep wisdom. She tackles that most difficult of subjects - how the imagination of something can blind us to what is humble and real and full of love.

Amanda Craig, The Times

Helen Craig’s drawings here are exquisite… a fitting epitaph.

Lisa O’Kelly, Observer