Beyond The Deepwoods: The Edge Chronicles [Paperback]

Chris Riddell's dramatic line drawings are the perfect complement to Paul Stewart's striking words in Beyond the Deepwoods, the first book of The Edge Chronicles.

Twig, on the verge of manhood at the age of 13, is told that the Woodtrolls who brought him up are not his real parents and that he must venture forth into the Deepwoods, keeping only to the path, to discover the truth about himself.

Armed with just a few magical gifts from his adopted mother, Spelda, Twig steps off the path and tumbles into a terrifying other world where nothing and no-one can be trusted.

From the mountainous Banderbear who becomes Twig's best friend, to the murderous Wig-wigs and the hideous all-female tribe of the Termagant Frogs, Beyond the Deepwoods sows the seeds of magic and adventure in the imagination, and lets them grow in the most exotic corners of the reader's mind. --Susan Harrison --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

PRAISE FOR THE EDGE CHRONICLES:
" Sure to please the Potter fans."
- "Detroit Free Press"
" The narrative will cast a spell over readers from the beginning with its utterly odd, off-kilter sense of logic and a vocabulary that is equal parts Dr. Seuss and Lewis Carroll."
- "Publishers Weekly"
" Good fun." - "Kirkus Reviews"
" Stunningly original." -- "The Guardian" (UK)
" A richly inventive fantasy . . . one of the most exciting collaborations between a writer and illustrator for a long time." -- "The Literary Review" (UK)

"From the Hardcover edition."

Reissued in a stunning new cover look, the first in the Twig sequence of the Edge Chronicles.

Young Twig lives in the Deepwoods, among the woodtrolls, but he isn't one of them. In a brave attempt to find out where he truly belongs, Twig wanders into the mysterious, fascinating and sometimes hazardous world beyond the Deepwoods. In his travels he encounters myriad peculiar creatures, like his wise guardian, the caterbird; the slaughterers, a peaceful race who butcher animals for their livelihood; and the vicious, bile-swilling rotsucker.

Always mindful of the Gloamglozer, whose presence haunts the thoughts of all the inhabitants of the Edge, Twig pursues his quest until he discovers his roots, not among the trees, but in the skies. With his new allies, the sky pirates, Twig prepares to embark on his next adventure.

Take your imagination to THE EDGE!

Abandoned at birth in the perilous Deepwoods, Twig is brought up by a family of woodtrolls. One cold night, Twig does what no woodtroll has ever done before - he strays from the path.

So begins a heart-stopping adventure that will takeTwig through a nightmare world of goblins and trogs, bloodthirsty beasts and flesh-eating trees. One desire drives Twig on: the longing to discover his true identity and his destiny . . .

Over 1 MILLION COPIES sold!

'I hated reading . . . now I'm a reading machine!' Quinn, 15

'Absolutely brilliant!' Lin-May, 13

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell are the creators of the hugely successful Edge Chronicles, which have sold over two million copies and have been translated into over thirty languages worldwide. Their other collaborations include the Barnaby Grimes series and the Far Flung Adventures, the first of which, Fergus Crane, won the 2004 Gold Smarties Prize.

Paul Stewart is the author of a number of previous titles for children including The Midnight Hand and The Wakening (a Federation of Children's Book Groups Pick of the Year) for the Yearling list.

Chris Riddell is an accomplished graphic artist who has illustrated many acclaimed books for children. Winner of many prestigious awards including the UNESCO Prize (for Something Else), the Kate Greenaway Medal (in 2001 and 2004 for Pirate Diary and Jonathan Swift's 'Gulliver') and the Gold Nestlé Prize for Ottoline and the Yellow Cat, he is also the political cartoonist for the Observer.