The Firework-Maker's Daughter; Clockwork or All Wound Up - (Everyman's Library Children's Classics) by Philip Pullman (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A must-have for every child's library: two enchanting tales by the bestselling author of The Golden Compass, in a special hardcover omnibus edition with newly colorized illustrations

In The Firework-Maker's Daughter, young Lila has learned from her father almost all there is to know about his profession--but he insists upon holding back the final secret. With the help of her friend Chulak, Lila discovers that anyone who wants to be a true firework-maker must face down the Fire-Fiend of Mount Merapi. It is only after Lila has set off on her quest that Chulak discovers the other half of the secret--and without it, Lila will perish. In the company of Hamlet, a talking white elephant, Chulak sets off to find Lila before it's too late.

Clockwork or All Wound Up features an apprentice clockmaker who is tempted to sell his soul. As the townspeople of Glockenheim gather on the eve of the annual unveiling of a new figure for the town clock, Karl, the apprentice, confides to Fritz, a storyteller, that he has failed in his task to create one. Fritz, in turn, has no idea how to finish the new story he has begun concocting, which he calls "Clockwork." He begins to tell it anyway, only to see its dangerous antagonist materialize in front of the two boys and offer Karl a Faustian pact. Real life and storytelling merge, and destruction must be narrowly averted, in this unusual and suspenseful tale of the power of creativity.

Everyman's Library pursues the highest production standards, printing on acid-free cream-colored paper, with full-cloth cases with two-color foil stamping, decorative endpapers, silk ribbon markers, and European-style half-round spines.

Review Quotes

"Exciting, scary, romantic, and deliciously readable." --The Guardian

"Crackles with Pullman's usual flair." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

PHILIP PULLMAN is one of the most acclaimed and bestselling writers at work today. He is best known for the His Dark Materials trilogy: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, which has been named one of the top 100 novels of all time by Newsweek and one of the all-time greatest novels by Entertainment Weekly. In 2004, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He lives in Oxford, England.