Product Description

What would happen if we lost the happy endings to stories - imagine the tears at bedtime! A fantastic and magical tale about what happens when, one night, a wicked witch steals the happy endings to bedtime stories. It is up to Jub, the keeper of the happy endings, to save the day and ensure sweet dreams everywhere in this lyrical story about storytelling. In the tradition of classic fairy tales for children, Carol Ann Duffy and Jane Ray have created a truly compelling, surprising and beautiful story for children of all ages.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15665 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 40 pages

Review
'A powerful book for older readers' TES 'A marriage made in picture book heaven - Duffy's lyrical prose matched with Jane Ray's rich, magical illustrations' Financial Times 'This evocative story has particularly beautiful illustrations' Daily Mail

About the Author
Carol Ann Duffy lives in Manchester and is a renowned poet and winner of the Whitbread Award and T.S. Eliot Award. She has published several collections of poetry for children and this is her first full-length colour picture book. Jane Ray lives in London (N10) and is equally respected as an illustrator. Her books are received with great acclaim and she has been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal as well as won the Smarties Award and Mother Goose Award. This is Jane's second book for Bloomsbury.

Customer Reviews

Lost Happy Endings
We have used this book with more than 50 schools, the language is rich, the illustrations are inspiring and when you read to the point when she finds a golden pen the children cannot help but want to write. The beautiful descriptions help children to become lost in the world and their imagination takes them into the woods where Jub lives. They love to explore her home and how she lives. Children from age 5-11 have loved to listen to us telling the story and have become spell-bound.

Stunning!
A dark and powerful picture book for older children, Jane Ray's illustrations perfectly complement Carol Ann Duffy's beautiful prose. Duffy brings a fantastic lyricism to the language that is all too often lacking in children's books. The witch has "fierce red eyes like poisonous berries" and her touch "nipped like pepper". Children's literature is much richer for this partnership - more please!

The Lost Happy Endings
What a shame! A great idea for a story and it begins well with nice illustrations but unfortunately its own 'happy ending' seemed to me to be far from ideal. Some frightening pictures and the witch could have met a more imaginative and less horrific fate. Not bedtime story material!