PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
Allison Rushby, the daughter of an author, was raised on a wholesome and steady diet of classic English literature. Some of her favourite books, re-read countless dog-eared times include Rumer Godden's The Dolls' House, Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle and Noel Streatfield's Shoes series. She has long been a fan of cities with long, winding histories, wild, overgrown cemeteries, red brick Victorian museums, foxes and ivy. She prefers to write with a cup of Darjeeling tea by her side and a Devon Rex cat curled up in her lap. Bronte Rose Marando is a Sydney based illustrator. Her whimsical artwork is influenced by our natural world, a love of narrative, the unknown and all things mysterious and magical. When she isn't drawing you can find Bronte with her nose in a good book or wandering about antique stores.
This book is filled with drama and mystery... the first in a planned series and Allison Rushby does provide a hint that more will follow about this early in the first book when Penny reads a letter purportedly sent by her parents which mentions flowers such as Monkshood, Rhododendrons and Oleander. Two of these are poisonous and they don't flower in October and why would her parents be in Switzerland? I will need to continue to series to solve this mystery. * Momo Time To Read * Penny is a wonderful character and this is the first book in a wonderful new series that junior and middle primary students will love. * Lamont Books * This fantastic book kept me reading it all in one sitting. It was one that I could not put down because I wanted to find out what happened, and I'm glad I did, because it was an exciting and not too scary read - so for those of us who don't enjoy scary stories, this is a perfect book, as it also gives us a nice ending filled with hope, and that will lead into future books that I am sure will be just as wonderful and exciting, and filled with fantastic female characters who do not always do as they are told or expected. * Ashleigh Meikle *
