Lynne Reid Banks

Portrays the often-tortured childhood and adult life of Branwell Bronte and the three sisters who, from their parsonage home, changed the form of the English novel

You may think Houdini is a strange name for a hamster, but if you've ever heard of the late Great Houdini, the most amazing escape-artist of all time, you'll understand how I got my name. I'm proud to say that there hasn't been a cage built that can hold me. I can climb, dive, wriggle, squeeze, or gnaw my way out of any prison they came up with. I have to admit that sometimes freedom leads to a bit of trouble--like getting cornered by the cat, ending up in the dog's mouth, or being trapped in the freezing cold of a dark refrigerator. But I won't be stopped! With a whole big world out there to explore, who wants to be held prisoner in a hamster cage?

Al principio, algunos de los regalos de cumpleaños que recibe Omri no parecen demasiado una figurita pequeña de plástico en forma de indio y un simple armario. Entonces Omri consigue un antigua llave que encaja en la cerradura del armario. ¿Qué puede guardar?. De momento, el indio. Unos extraños ruidos lo despiertan por la mañana; abre el armario y... se encuentra con un guerrero indio de siete centímetros de altura...

Fifteen-year-old Kate becomes aware of the class consciousness of her middle class family and friends when she falls in love with a boy from a working class family.

‘Path to the Silent Country’ is Lynne Reid Banks’ follow up to the critically-acclaimed ‘Dark Quartet: The Story of the Brontes’.In Haworth Parsonage, in the rural landscape of the Yorkshire moors, Charlotte Bronte suffers alone.She has experienced a triple blow - the death of her beloved sisters and brother.Paralysed by misery and her only solace - religion - not bringing her any comfort, she turns to writing to escape her grief.Charlotte is for the first time in her life able to travel to the capital, following on from the success of ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Shirley’. She immerses herself in London society, meeting influential figures from the literary elite.But at every turn, her identity is questioned. Returning to the parsonage, Charlotte is again crippled by loss. Her father becomes sick with bronchitis, and she herself is gripped by influenza. Not only this, the unrequited love of one George Smith plagues her, along with the amorous pleas of Mr Arthur Nichols.'Path to the Silent Country' is a gripping fictionalised account of one woman's struggle to draw together a life shattered by grief. It is a story of love sacrificed for the approval of an ailing father, and of courage in the face of public scrutiny. Above all, it is a story of defiance. Praise for Lynne Reid Banks:"Lynne Reid Banks communicates her story with clarity and conviction that establish her among the noblest of factual fiction writers" - Guardian‘A novel which will open many eyes afresh to the lives of the remarkable and gifted Brontës’ — Yorkshire Post Lynne Reid Banks is a best-selling British author for both children and adults. Her first novel, ‘The L-Shaped Room’, was adapted into a successful film, as was her children’s book ‘The Indian in the Cupboard’. Her account of the lives of the Brontës, ‘Dark Quartet’, won the Yorkshire Arts Association Award and was followed by a sequel, ‘Path to the Silent Country: Charlotte Bronte’s Years of Fame’. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.

The Magic Continues . . . In The Indian In The Cupboard , Omri discovers a wonderful, magical world when a three inch high Indian named Little Bear came to life. Now, in The Return Of The Indian, Omri tries to see his friend Little Bear again, and lands in the middle of a whole new series of astonishing and dangerous adventures -- from which he may never escape!

King Midas loved gold so much he wished everything he touched would turn to gold. But what a terrible curse it became when his wish was granted and everything he touched -- his food, his dog. . . and his beloved daughter -- instantly changed into cold and lifeless matallic objects. Lynne Reid Banks has re-created the ever-popular legend of King Midas into an exciting story that brings to life the reality of having greedy and thoughtless wishes come true.

Everyone knows grown-ups never get to see fairies -- they don't even believe in them. But one day Jan, a grown-up, was sitting in her garden feeling sad when suddenly discovered that fairies can be very real -- and quite extraordinary...Tiki knew she'd be taking a terrible chance if she defied the Fairy Queen and used her power to help a human, but Jan was crying because she wanted so much to have a baby. Tiki, who was the kind of fairy who didn't always obey her queen, just had to do something...Soon, Jan's dream comes true, and she and her husband have a wonderful little baby girl. But Tiki has angered the queen and now she and her human friends are up against the dark and chilling fury of a leader who will not hesitate to unleash her most terrifying powers against them.

Once upon a time, in a village nestled in a mountain valley, lived a girl named Dakin. Dakin wants three things more than anything else: to visit the farthest-away mountain, to meet a gargoyle, and to marry a prince. Everyone in her village thinks she's crazy, especially since no one has ever been to the farthest-away mountain. But one day, when she is nearly 15, she hears the mountain calling her. Dakin sets off on a tantalizing journey that will change her life, and the lives of others, forever.

Once upon a time, in a village nestled in a mountain valley, lived a girl named Dakin. Dakin wants three things more than anything else: to visit the farthest-away mountain, to meet a gargoyle, and to marry a prince. Everyone in her village thinks she's crazy, especially since no one has ever been to the farthest-away mountain. But one day, when she is nearly 15, she hears the mountain calling her. Dakin sets off on a tantalizing journey that will change her life, and the lives of others, forever. From the Hardcover Library Binding edition.

At first, Omri is unimpressed with the plastic Indian toy he is given for his birthday. But when he puts it in his old cupboard and turns the key, something extraordinary happens that will change Omri's life for ever. For Little Bear, the Iroquois Indian brave, comes to life...

The New York Times bestselling author of The Indian in the Cupboard returns with a brand new adventure of two remarkable friends brought together through the magic of a bathroom cupboard and a wonderful key. As Omri and his father read together of the terrible historical plight of the Iroquois people, they realize that Little Bear, Omri's Iroquois friend from the past, is in urgent need of help. But how can father and son go back in time? Jessica Charlotte, Omri's ancestor who originated the magic gift, tries to help--but things go so wrong that Omri finds himself lost in an entirely different time and place, while his father has hair-raising adventures of his own. And the greatest challenge is yet to come: little do they understand the terrors that lie in wait--both for their Indian friends and for themselves.

In this bestselling classic novel which became a famous film, Jane Graham, alone and pregnant, retreats to a dingy attic bedsit in Fulham where she finds unexpected companionship, happiness and love. Set in the late 1950s, the 27 year-old unmarried Jane Graham arrives alone at a run-down boarding house in London after being turned out of her comfortable middle class home by her shocked father who has learned she is pregnant. Jane narrates the story as we follow her through her pregnancy and her encounters with the other misfits and outsiders who reside at the boarding house.

In the fourth book in Bank's acclaimed INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD saga, Omri and his family move to an old farmhouse, where he finds an ancient notebook that reveals a family secret-and the mysterious origins of his magical cupboard.

It's been over a year since Omri discovered in The Indian in the Cupboard that, with the turn of a key, he could magically bring to life the three-inch-high Indian figure he placed inside his cupboard. Omri and his Indian, Little Bear, create a fantastic world together until one day, Omri realizes the terrible consequences if Little Bear ever got trapped in his "giant" world. Reluctantly, Omri sends the Indian back through the cupboard, giving his mother the magic key to wear around her neck so that he will never be tempted to bring Little Bear back to life.But one year later, full of exciting news, Omri gives way to temptation when he finds that his mother has left the magic key lying on the bathroom sink.A whole new series of adventures awaits Omri as he discovers that his Indian has been critically wounded during the French and Indian Wars and desperately needs Omri's help.Now, helplessly caught between his own life and his cupboard life of war and death, Omri must act decisively if he is to save Little Bear and his village from being completely destroyed. What began as a harmless game has tumed into a horrible nightmare, a nightmare in which Omri is irrevocably involved, and from which he may never escape.Book Details:Format: HardcoverPublication Date: 10/3/1986Pages: 192Reading Level: Age 9 and Up

THE MAGIC CONTINUES... It began with the highly acclaimed classic THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD when Omri discovered he could bring to life the miniature plastic Indian, the American cowboy, and his other toy figures. In THE RETURN OF THE INDIAN, Omri found he could even transport himself and his friend Patrick into the dangerous 19th-century world of their miniature friends Now, in an incredible new adventure, Omri and Patrick are forced to share their secret with Patrick's cousin Emma. All of England is threatened by the disastrous cyclone they have brought back from the old American West, and Emma may hold the key to survival.

Tiger, Tiger is a hugely powerful and epic novel set against the dazzling backdrop of ancient Rome. This compelling and uplifting story about friendship, brotherhood and battling against the odds will grip all who read it. Her heart was throbbing behind her ribs. A real, live tiger? But that was impossible! Of all the beasts brought from far-off countries the tiger was the most formidable. There could be no one bold enough to introduce one into Caesar's palace! Two tiger cubs are snatched from their native jungle and shipped to Rome. On arrival at this strange land crowded with noisy two-legs they are cruelly separated. One cub becomes the princess's pampered and adored house pet. The other, fiercer, cub is trained to become the star performer in Caesar's bloodthirsty circus. Princess Aurelia detests her father's brutal sport, but must keep her feelings secret - no one dares criticise the almighty Caesar! The only person she can confide in is the slave Julius, her tiger's keeper. But such a friendship is equally forbidden: should the Emperor find out, his anger would be terrible and the punishment severe. destined for a life in chains. In a world dominated by Caesar's will, all must fight for freedom...This is Lynne Reid Banks at her very best. She has written a hugely powerful and moving story, which boys and girls from 10 years onwards will love. The animals' thoughts seem eerily perceptive. Utterly captivating.

From the author of The Indian in the Cupboard and The L-Shaped Room comes a fascinating story of a wartime childhood, heavily influenced by her own experience. In 1940 as war rages across Europe, ten-year-old Lindy waves goodbye to England and makes the long journey to Saskatoon, Canada, along with her mother and her cousin Cameron. They may be far from the war but they are also far from home and everyone they know and love. Life in Canada is very different but it is also full of exciting new adventures This captivating story is inspired by Lynne Reid Banks own childhood experience and her time in Canada."