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Synopsis
Strange things begin to happen the minute young Kay Harker boards the train to go home for Christmas and finds himself under observation by two very shifty-looking characters. Arriving at his destination, the boy is immediately accosted by a bright-eyed old man with a mysterious message: “The wolves are running.” Soon danger is everywhere, as a gang of criminals headed by the notorious wizard Abner Brown and his witch wife Sylvia Daisy Pouncer gets to work. What does Abner Brown want? The magic box that the old man has entrusted to Kay, which allows him to travel freely not only in space but in time, too. The gang will stop at nothing to carry out their plan, even kidnapping Kay’s friend, the tough little Maria Jones, and threatening to cancel Christmas celebrations altogether. But with the help of his allies, including an intrepid mouse, a squadron of Roman soldiers, the legendary Herne the Hunter, and the inventor of the Box of Delights himself, Kay just may be able rescue his friend, foil Abner Brown’s plot, and save Christmas, too.
At once a thriller, a romp, and a spellbinding fantasy, The Box of Delights is a great English children’s book and a perfect Christmas treat.
Children's Literature
Nothing is quite what it seems when Kay Harder returns home from school on Christmas break. Kay's guardian is called away on an emergency to London, leaving him to experience a handful of fantastical events and nefarious criminals, some of them dressed in very familiar sheep's clothing. All over town Kay is warned that "the wolves are running," but he has no idea what the cryptic message means. When a vagabond performer, who puts on Punch and Judy shows, gives Kay the "Box of Delights," a magical box that allows its owner time travel capabilities, Kay quickly finds that a magical world is hiding just behind the surface. Kay needs to think on his feet when those close to him, including Cole, the Punch and Judy man, and his family friend, Maria, are kidnapped. Can Kay stop the Gang, a group loyal to an evil wizard, Abner Brown? The Christmas tale is definitely not sweet and safe. The only clunky, confusing bits belong to Rat, Abner's side kick, who speaks in a strong and nearly unintelligible dialect. Perfect for those who loved the Chronicles of Narnia, but want a healthy dose of "gangsters, and aeroplanes, and a lot of automatic pistols." Reviewer: Kristy Lyn Sutorius