New Reads: September 2022
TWO brand new Chicken House stories are hitting the shelves this September ...
The Spell Tailors
A spellbinding new fantasy novel from the author of The Apprentice Witch series!
Hen dreams of becoming a spell tailor, stitching magic into clothing like his beloved Nana.
But thanks to new factories, spell tailors are struggling. His Uncle Bertie’s fancy shop has shut down, and when he, Aunt Lucia and stuck-up cousin Connie move in, it’s a disaster for all the family.
Then Hen stumbles upon a new kind of stitch – one which causes Nana and Bertie to ban him from sewing.
What is the power of the stitch that can sew memories into clothes – and could it be the very thing to save them all?
Explores the real magic of clothes as Hen, a spell tailor’s apprentice, struggles to master his family craft – and discovers a new kind of stitch in the process!
PRAISE FOR THE APPRENTICE WITCH:
'Reminded me of the best of the Worst Witch books' ABI ELPHINSTONE
'A charming tale of magic, bravery and friendship, reminiscent of Diana Wynne Jones.' GUARDIAN
'The Apprentice Witch is entirely more charming, adventurous, and full of heart than a book has any right to be.' TRENTON LEE STEWART
'A delightful, witty and vivid story' KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE
A Witch Alone
During an eventful holiday in Kingsport, Arianwyn is recruited for an important mission: to retrieve the Book of Quiet Glyphs from its hiding place in the Great Wood. But as she returns home to Lull, feyling refugees gather outside the town walls and hex plagues the forest. As tensions lead to fall-outs with her friends, town squabbles and magical mishaps, Arianwyn faces a sobering truth: she alone can find the Book, and wield its secrets …
The second book in James Nicol’s enchanting Apprentice Witch series; perfect for fans of The Worst Witch or Diana Wynne Jones.
NaNoWriMo Nov Day 11: James Nicol
Happy Friday! As a start-of-the-weekend treat the lovely James Nicol, author of The Apprentice Witch, has only gone and shared his writing advice – perfect for those hoping to do a NaNoWriMo sprint this weekend! (more…)
APPRENTICE WITCHES!
Exactly one week to go until James Nicol’s The Apprentice Witch is magicked into the book world, and we’re delighted to announce that we’ve acquired two more novels in the series – hurray! But what’s it all about? (more…)
Apprentice Witch
Arianwyn has fluffed her witch’s assessment.
Awarded the dull bronze disc of an apprentice – to the glee of her arch-rival, mean girl Gimma – she’s sent to protect the remote, dreary town of Lull. But her new life is far from boring. Turns out Gimma is the pompous mayor’s favourite niece – and worse, she opens a magical rift in the nearby forest. As Arianwyn struggles with her spells, a mysterious darkness begins to haunt her – and it’s soon clear there’s much more than her pride at stake …
An enchanting read, perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones or The Worst Witch.
James Nicol
James Nicol is the author of the critically-acclaimed Apprentice Witch series. As a child he always checked wardrobes for hidden worlds and spent hours absorbed in novels or adventuring in the wood at the bottom of the garden. He lives in Yorkshire with his husband and daughter, and a black-and-white cockapoo called Bonnie.
