Product Description

This is a wonderful new tale of two friends: a scarecrow made of straw and turnip, and his servant, a clever little boy named Jack. Their journey of discovery takes them into hilarious situations and terrifying dangers, but Jack's common sense always saves the day. This fantastic story of friendship and love is the first book for younger readers from Philip Pullman since "I Was A Rat", and his first full-length book since "The Amber Spyglass".

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29076 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Review
It is remarkable skill to make simplicity and even silliness embrace such complexity yet offer children so much wisdom. Somehow, it's not surprising that Pullman can do it. - The Sunday Times. The story ends as confidently as it begins, written for children with utmost respect for and delight in their intelligence, humour and imagination... Genius demands a continual purification and renewal of talent. Pullman has realised that and it's why he is great. - The Times. Pullman is probably incapable of writing a bad book. His touch is so sure, his plotting so flawless that you know a new Pullman means a rare treat.... Ultimately, this book works because, like all the best stories, it somehow reconnects the reader with a sense of humanity. - The Glasgow Herald. The book is a perfectly made gem, full of fun, fireworks and wit. We continue to be lucky to have Pullman writing for us. - The Guardian. Pullman has conjured up something entirely his own: a tale of great charm and wit, told in an easy style which reads as though it all came right in the first draft. It's aimed at a lower age-level than the "Dark Materials" trilogy; a fluent reader of eight would enjoy it and it would be great fun to read aloud to a younger child; but the quality of the ideas and the jokes, and the irresistibly likeable character of the Scarecrow, mean that older children would find themselves enjoying it too. - The Independent on Sunday. Written to be enjoyed at many different levels, this book will appeal to a wide age range. - The Bookseller.

From the Inside Flap
One night there was a thunderstorm. A tattered scarecrow stood in the wind and rain, taking no notice ... until a bolt of lightning struck his turnip head. The scarecrow blinked with surprise and came to life.

So begins the story of the Scarecrow, a courteous but pea-brained fellow with grand ideas. He meets a boy, Jack, who becomes his faithful servant. Leaving behind his usual bird-scaring duties, the Scarecrow sets out for Spring Valley, with Jack at his side. Along the way there's no end of excitement, not least avoiding the many members of the crooked Buffaloni family. As the valiant scarecrow plunges them into terrifying dangers - pirates and treasure islands, brigands and broken hearts - it's up to Jack time after time to save the day.

A dramatic tale full of twists and turns, surprises and silliness - just as one would expect from one of the most consummate storytellers writing today.

From the Back Cover
One night there was a thunderstorm. A tattered scarecrow stood in the wind and rain, taking no notice. . .until a bolt of lightning struck his turnip head. The scarecrow blinked with surprise and came to life.
So begins the story of the Scarecrow, a courteous but pea-brained fellow with grand ideas. He meets a boy, Jack, who becomes his faithful servant, and they set out to journey to Spring Valley together. Along the way there's no end of excitment -- battle and shipwreck, brigands and tricksters -- and it's up to Jack time after time to save the day.
'Written for children with utmost respect for and delight in their intelligence, humor and imagination' The Times
A tale of great charm and wit. . .irresistibly likeable' Independent of Sunday

Customer Reviews

A 21st Century Classic
This delightful book tells the story of a scarecrow brought to life when it is struck by lightning. He is a pompous, blustering fellow, yet likeably in his naivety. Wanting adventures and to see the world, he employs a young boy, Jack, to be his servant. The story is told in lots of short chapters, each a mini adventure, in which one of the scarecrow's body parts is either lost, broken or stolen ... and then replaced. This raises an interesting question (and plot-twist) when, by the end of the book, everything about him is different: is he still the same scarecrow or not?

As with all Philip Pullman's books, the writing is a delight. Not a wasted word. The subject matter is probably best suited to younger readers 7 - 10, or as a series of bedtime stories for 5 - 7 year-olds. Charmingly illustrated by Peter Bailey.

The kind of story you'd love to have invented yourself
I read this to my two sons age 10 and 8 as a change from their own reading. We all loved it. Everyone reviewing him defaults to Pullman's merits as "a storyteller"- but you just cant avoid admiring the beautiful characterisations, imaginative locations (that dreamlike otherworldliness in just about all his work), and perfect pace. Reading this aloud was a treat- the dialogue is light and flows (in stark contrast to JKR!) and the pace is well judged throughout. The storyline (a scarecrow who comes to life and deems to take on a rootless boy through a series of risky confrontations) places this book firmly for kids who love a good yarn, (and adults who love a good childrens book).

Latest book from a writer of genius
Philip Pullman carries the torch for children's writing; he's the first writer of children's books to win the Whitbread award for doing so. "The Scarecrow and his Servant" is evidence aplenty of just why he deserved the award. He writes a great story, and he doesn't patronise his readership. In fact, he writes for a readership, not for children, and delivers an exciting, absorbing narrative direct to his reader, not to a child. He establishes one major fact which all writers should learn - whatever the average age of your readership, they want to be entertained, they want to be challenged, they want to know what happens on the next page.

In "The Scarecrow and his Servant", we are in some distant, over-the-next-horizon fantasy land, where a scarecrow can be brought to life by a lightning strike. It's not just Frankenstein's creation that can benefit from electrical charges. He teams up with young Jack, who is about as bright as the "Wizard of Oz's" tin man, and sets off on a variety of adventures, pursued all the way by an evil lawyer. It's a well-paced adventure, with horror, and comedy, and drama, and a host of allusions to other literary favourites.

"The Scarecrow and his Servant" is the latest offering from a major writer. It will engross, it will entertain, it will keep you turning the pages, whatever your age.