The Trouble with the Two-Headed Hydra - (Miss Mary-Kate Martin's Guide to Monsters) by Karen Foxlee (Paperback)

About the Book

Miss Mary-Kate Martin might be anxious, but she's not scared of monsters. Travelling the globe with her famous archaeologist mother, Mary-Kate helps solve legendary problems in this fun fantasy adventure suitable for fans of the Travelling Bookshop or the Magnolia Moon series.

Book Synopsis

Miss Mary-Kate Martin might be anxious, but she's not scared of monsters. Travelling the globe with her famous archaeologist mother, Mary-Kate helps solve legendary problems in this fun fantasy adventure suitable for fans of the Travelling Bookshop or the Magnolia Moon series.

Mary-Kate and her mother are visiting Galinios, an idyllic Greek Island filled with history and surrounded by the shimmering Aegean Sea. An ancient mosaic has been unearthed at the local sardine processing plant and Professor Martin must investigate, leaving Mary-Kate to enjoy a few days of sunshine and antiquity.

But a message asking for help changes everything. A wrecked boat and smashed jetty have recently disrupted life on this tranquil island and point to a monster-sized mystery. Could the local legend of the Two-Headed Hydra be more than a story? If so, what could make this historically serene sea creature so angry?

Armed with her glitter pens and strawberry-scented notebook, Miss Mary-Kate Martin is determined to find answers. She might be scared of heights, but there is no problem too big for her to solve.

The second mystery story in this delightful fantasy-adventure series from the award-winning and bestselling author of Lenny's Book of Everything and Dragon Skin, with lively line illustrations by Freda Chiu.

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR THE WRATH OF THE WOOLINGTON WYRM'The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm is easily one of the most charming books for young readers I have come across. It has a perfect balance of fun, fantasy, humour and innocence. I think it takes real talent to create something that is exciting/dramatic with a fantasy element without getting too dark. I'm big on keeping things innocent for our kids, while giving them plenty to challenge their imagination and literacy skills. This really hits the sweet spot! Not surprising, really, because Karen Foxlee is a genius.' Katrina Nannestad, author of the Travelling Bookshop series

'An intriguing, suspenseful, action-packed and deliciously thrilling mystery, full of Karen Foxlee's trademark heart, wisdom, wit and ingenuity. A gently reassuring and inspiring story about the value of courage, knowledge and kindness. It reminds us that we all have the capacity for bravery, despite our worm holes, worries and monster-shaped fears. Ultimately, we see that truth is at the heart of every monster hunter's search. And that sometimes all we need to do is start - by putting one red sparkly footstep in front of another. Perfect for young fans of The Ghouls of Howlfair by Nick Tomlinson and Jonathan Auxier's The Fabled Stables.' Edwina Wyatt, award-winning author of The Secrets of Magnolia Moon

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About the Author

Karen Foxlee is an Australian author who writes for both kids and young adults. She grew up in the Australian outback mining town Mount Isa and still frequently dreams she is walking barefoot along the dry Leichhardt River. Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy, Karen's first novel for children, was published internationally to much acclaim while her second novel for younger readers, A Most Magical Girl, won the Readings Children's Fiction Prize and was short-listed for the CBCA Awards. Her next book was the internationally successful Lenny's Book of Everything, which won multiple awards including the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, the Queensland Literary Awards, the Indies Book Award, was a CBCA Honor Book and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. Her latest middle-grade novel, Dragon Skin, was a CBCA Honor Book, winner of the Aurealis Awards and was short-listed for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, the Indie Book Awards and the ABIA Awards.

Freda Chiu is an author and illustrator from Sydney, Australia. As well as illustrating children's books, her work spans comics, editorial and retail graphics. Outside her art practice, Freda lectures in Illustration at the University of Technology Sydney. Her debut picture book, A Trip to the Hospital, was short-listed for the CBCA Award for New Illustrator and the IBBY Australia Ena Noël Awards.