The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories,New

In a singularly important publishing even, the first complete collection of Aikens 24 beloved Armitage cycle of stories appears here for the first time. The family who dwells in and out of magical worlds transcends fantasy and enters the world of classic, entrancing literature. Belongs on every childs bookshelf. For all ages.'Smithsonian Magazine Notable Books for Children 2008'For sheer charm its hard to beat these wonderful, deadpan comic tales about one familys adventuresnearly always on a Mondaywith ghosts, witches, time travel, the Furies and every sort of magic.'Michael Dirda, The Washington Post Book World'Buy it to read to your kids, and youll find yourself sneaking tastes on the sly; a little Aiken is a fine thing to have in your system at any age.'Salon.com'Joan Aikens invention seemed inexhaustible, her high spirits a blessing, her sheer storytelling zest a phenomenon. She was a literary treasure, and her books will continue to delight for many years to come.'Philip PullmanThe best kind of writer, strange and spooky and surprising, never sentimental or whimsical.Kelly Link'Gathered under one cover from several Aiken collections, the magical, eccentric and very British Armitage family reappears in a collection of 24 stories, four never before published. The Armitages wacky magic (usually a Monday occurrence) and that of their fantastical town, a place filled with witches and magical beings, rises from the pages when matters go slightly awry, in the manner of Edward Eager and E. Nesbit.'Kirkus Reviews'The Armitage family stories are stories of a seemingly ordinary British family to whom magical things seemed to happen regularly. Collected here for the first time are all of Joan Aiken's twentyfour Armitage family stories, four of which have never been published before. These are short stories for children which, with their mix of magic, myth, and humor, appeal broadly to adults as well.'About.com, Holiday Gift Books 2008'Readers of all ages have the opportunity to enjoy some of the best writing by one of the most superb and timeless fantasy writers.'Green Man Review'The Armitages world grows richer as it is extended. This is a collection of stories which allowin fact demandthe reader joins in with their own imagination and remakes the story inside their own head. Aikens pragmatism shows through in her stories. Instead of remaining in or reflecting upon the past like some of her contemporaries, they show an author making the best of the world and coming out ahead with humor and imagination.January Magazine'Each of the tales brims with oldfashioned adventure and charm. An excellent way to show Harry Potter fans that magic can come in small doses too.'Author MagazineThis is the first complete collection of Joan Aikens beloved Armitage storiesand it includes four new, unpublished stories. After Mrs. Armitage makes a wish, the Armitage family has interesting and unusual experiences every Monday (and the occasional Tuesday). The Board of Incantation tries to take over their house to use as a school for young wizards; the Furies come to stay; and a cutout from a cereal box leads into a beautiful and tragic palace garden. Charming and magical, the uncommon lives of the Armitage family will thrill and delight readers young and old. Includes Joan Aikens Prelude from Armitage, Armitage, Fly Away Home, as well as introductions from Joan Aikens daughter, Lizza Aiken, and bestselling author Garth Nix. Illustrated by Andi Watson.Praise for Joan Aiken:'A writer of wild humor and unrestrained imagination.'Oxford Companion to Childrens Literature'This year can boast one genuine small masterpiece. . . . The Wolves of Willoughby Chase . . . almost a copybook lesson in those virtues that a classic childrens book must possess.'Time MagazineBest known for The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Joan Aiken (19242004) wrote over a hundred books and won the Guardian and Edgar Allan