Saffy's Angel [Hardcover]

Whitbread Book Award-winning author Hilary McKay is no stranger to high praise, but for Saffy's Angel she really deserves the top honours. This heavenly little book tells the story of Cadmium, Saffron, Indigo and Rose--siblings who are each as colourful as their exotic names suggest.

Close-knit and divinely eccentric, the family (under the not-so-stable guidance of their mother Eve and their weary father, Bill) chug along quite nicely until one day Saffron discovers she was adopted by the family following the death of her mother, Eve's twin sister. As Saffron tries to come to terms with the shocking news, her grandfather dies and bequeaths her a stone angel in his will. But where is it? Saffron, her remarkable family and her new found friend, Sarah, embark on a search that sees Saffy heading for Sienna in Italy while her brother and sisters determine to leave no stone unturned in their quest for the cherub they know will make all the difference in the world to their beloved adopted sister.

Saffy's Angel is written with a simple, understated elegance that allows the reader access to the kind of family we would all, secretly, love to belong to. Each character is drawn with an enviable artistry coupled with, one suspects, a tongue-in the cheek that adds a sharp realistic air to a modern household with a heart of pure, old-fashioned gold. And it is these fabulous characters who lead the unfurling of the story, easing the reader through the pages with an irresistible wit and warmth that smartly avoids cosiness but nonetheless leaves a soothing rosy glow.

Marvellous stuff from a marvellous author who has the potential to knock even the queen of children's fiction, Jacqueline Wilson, off her perch, this sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking book is a must-read. And don't be put off by the pinkness of the packaging: it might look terribly girly, but at the heart of the matter is a fantastically straightforward, deeply satisfying, superior read for anyone who has a heart and a few hours to spare. Suitable for ages 10 and over. --Susan Harrison --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

THE EXILES ' This most engaging comedy of manners...a delight' -- THE GUARDIAN THE EXILES 'an inventive, funny romp from a writer with a sparky future.' -- THE BOOKSELLER THE EXILES IN LOVE 'McKay has created a boisterous, chaotic family which always makes me want to rush out and adopt three sisters.' -- GERALDINE BRENNAN in TES 'Irresistible wit and warmth... marvellous stuff from a marvellous author, who has the potential to knock even the queen of children's fiction, Jacqueline Wilson, off her perch... a fantastically straightforward, deeply satisfying, superior read.' -- Amazon.co.uk

DOG FRIDAY
'Children will be greatly entertained by this rollicking story.' --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

'Brilliant, funny, clever and kind.' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'Quirky and curious ... unforgettable. The central characters are strong, lovable - and unique.' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

A funny, exuberant story.' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

After Saffron Casson discovers that she's adopted, life is never quite the same again. Her artistic parents and doting siblings adore her, but Saffy wants a piece of her past. So when her grandfather bequests a stone angel to her, Saffy knows she has to find it. Realising that her childhood in Siena holds the key, she secretly stows away on a car trip to Siena, with her new friend, Sarah. Meanwhile, the rest of her family are engaged in their own wacky projects. Caddy, a hopeless student, is studying for her A Levels and desperately trying to pass her driving test. Indigo, the sole boy of the Casson family, is determined to rid himself of the fear of heights. And the youngest, Rose, a budding artist, has a knack for baiting her pompous dad, with entertaining results ...

KEY REVIEWS
'Quirky and curious ... unforgettable. The central characters are strong, lovable - and unique.' - Nic Knight, THE BOOKSELLER

'A real feel-good novel, McKay treats us once again to one of her brilliantly characterised families. This is a really lovely book.' - THE BOOKSELLER

A funny, exuberant story.' - CAROUSEL

'Brilliant, funny, clever and kind.' - Amazon.co.uk

Hilary McKay's strength lies in her understanding of young people and her ability to evoke them very simply.' - THE GUARDIAN

DOG FRIDAY
'Children will be greatly entertained by this rollicking story.' - JUNIOR BOOKSHELF

'Finding its place in a rather neglected area of children's fiction, Hilary McKay pitches the tone just right with a tale that is both funning and touching.' - The Guardian

'Hilary McKay excels in conveying the anarchic bedlawm of family life, and she has excelled herself in her marvellous novel, Saffy's Angel which deserves to be placed alongside such classics as Little Women and The Railway Children.' - TES Primary

Hilary McKay won the Guardian Children's Award with her first novel, The Exiles. Her subsequent work has achieved similar recognition - The Exiles at Home won the Smarties Prize and the Dog Friday trilogy was critically acclaimed. A graduate of Botany and Zoology from St Andrews University, Hilary now writes full-time. She lives in Derbyshire with her husband and two children.