Strange things begin to happen the minute young Kay Harker boards the train to go home for Christmas and finds himself under observation by two ver...
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Feb 08, 2012
Nesa
rated it: 
Strange things begin to happen the minute young Kay Harker boards the train to go home for Christmas and finds himself under observation by two very shifty-looking characters.
Arriving at his destination, the boy is immediately accosted by a bright-eyed old man with a mysterious message: “The wolves are running.”
Soon danger is everywhere, as a gang of criminals headed by the notorious wizard Abner Brown and his witch wife Sylvia Daisy Pouncer gets to work. What does Abner Br More...
Arriving at his destination, the boy is immediately accosted by a bright-eyed old man with a mysterious message: “The wolves are running.”
Soon danger is everywhere, as a gang of criminals headed by the notorious wizard Abner Brown and his witch wife Sylvia Daisy Pouncer gets to work. What does Abner Br More...
Jan 06, 2010
Moppet
rated it: 
The Box of Delights is a 1935 children’s book by John Masefield. It’s a sequel to The Midnight Folk (which I haven’t read) and in both books the central character is Kay Harker.
On the way home from his first term at boarding school, Kay meets a mysterious Punch and Judy showman, Cole Hawlings, who warns him that, “The Wolves are Running” and seems to have magical powers – he finds Kay’s lost railway ticket and somehow knows that he will be having buttered eggs for lunch. Later Cole More...
On the way home from his first term at boarding school, Kay meets a mysterious Punch and Judy showman, Cole Hawlings, who warns him that, “The Wolves are Running” and seems to have magical powers – he finds Kay’s lost railway ticket and somehow knows that he will be having buttered eggs for lunch. Later Cole More...
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Nov 16, 2010
Suna
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Hugely enjoyable classic tale of "And All Ended Well, Bells Tolled and Joy was in Everyone's Hearts...
Plucky children save Christmas from the evildoer who would ruin it.
What struck me most was the utter uselessness of the local constabulary and the Law at large, which was accurately amusing, and the mix of Pagan and Christian folk, who seemed to treat each other with an attitude of fondness reserved for the dotty aunt of which there's one in every family.
Very refre More...
Plucky children save Christmas from the evildoer who would ruin it.
What struck me most was the utter uselessness of the local constabulary and the Law at large, which was accurately amusing, and the mix of Pagan and Christian folk, who seemed to treat each other with an attitude of fondness reserved for the dotty aunt of which there's one in every family.
Very refre More...
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Aug 09, 2009
Debbie (Readerbuzz)
rated it:
Yet another book I discovered from BookCrossing.
I consider myself a knowledgeable reader, especially a knowledgeable reader of children’s stories. This book was completely unknown to me, as I would suspect, it is unknown to most here in America.
It is the kind of book I thrived on as a child. It’s fantasy and adventure, with danger and purpose and mystery.
Best of all are the characters. The children are not content to sit quietly by the fire reading. Oh no, th More...
I consider myself a knowledgeable reader, especially a knowledgeable reader of children’s stories. This book was completely unknown to me, as I would suspect, it is unknown to most here in America.
It is the kind of book I thrived on as a child. It’s fantasy and adventure, with danger and purpose and mystery.
Best of all are the characters. The children are not content to sit quietly by the fire reading. Oh no, th More...
Jan 04, 2011
Insidebooks
rated it:
Christmas time is the perfect moment to choose a story to read that is dripping with yuletide references and a classic battle of good versus evil.
Kay Harker is coming home from school for Christmas and bumps into a punch and judy man and a couple of curates on the train and his adventure begins. The old punch and judy man, Cole Hawkins, asks him to do him a favour telling an old woman in the village that the wolves are running and from that moment on the young Kay is drawn into the pro More...
Kay Harker is coming home from school for Christmas and bumps into a punch and judy man and a couple of curates on the train and his adventure begins. The old punch and judy man, Cole Hawkins, asks him to do him a favour telling an old woman in the village that the wolves are running and from that moment on the young Kay is drawn into the pro More...
Feb 11, 2012
Peter
rated it: 
It starts well with some very atmospheric scenes – the men on the train and Cole Hawkins magic show are particularly good, as are the trips to the fort – but as it goes on it has become very repetitive and convoluted. How many times do we have to have Kay 'go small' to spy on Abner talking to himself in exposition to reveal endless details of the non existent plot?
Stylistically it's dated - with Enid Blyton-y dialogue. The magic seems barely thought out and apart from a few good moment More...
Stylistically it's dated - with Enid Blyton-y dialogue. The magic seems barely thought out and apart from a few good moment More...
Mar 03, 2011
WHY: Strange things begin to happen the minute young Kay boards the train to go home for Christmas and finds himself under observation by two very shifty looking characters. Arriving at his destination, the young boy is immediately accosted by a bright-eyed old man with a message he wants delivered: “Tell them the wolves are running.” Next thing you know, danger seems to lurk everywhere. A story of saving Christmas, complete with time- and space-travel. Another New York Review children's book re
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Jan 15, 2011
Kate
rated it:
"Strange things begin to happen the minute young Kay Harker boards the train to go home for Christmas and finds himself under observation by two very shifty-looking characters. Arriving at his destination, the boy is immediately accosted by a bright-eyed old man with a mysterious message: “The wolves are running.” Soon danger is everywhere, as a gang of criminals headed by the notorious wizard Abner Brown and his witch wife Sylvia Daisy Pouncer gets to work. What does Abner Brown want? The
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Jun 04, 2010
Keith
rated it:
John Masefield, poet laureate of the U.K. from 1930 till his death in 1967, is perhaps best known for his poem “Sea Fever” (“I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky”). He was also, however, one of the finest and most influential writers of children’s books. I first read The Box of Delights in Kenya, when I was about ten. When I went to the States for college, I was horrified to find that no one had heard of it, and that the only available edition had been butchered by an
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Mar 24, 2008
Karschtl
rated it:
Diese beiden Geschichten (hatte eine Ausgabe, in der auch Midnight Folk war) erinnern vielleicht im ersten Moment ein wenig an den Harry-Potter-Hype, wurden aber bereits vor ca. 70 Jahren geschrieben. Es geht hier um den kleinen Kay Harker, der als Waise viel auf sich gestellt ist. Seine Gouvernante, eine olle alte Schachtel, kann er nicht leiden. Eines Nachts erhält Kay Besuch von sprechenden Tieren und Spielzeug, und wird in eine fantastische Welt entführt. Gemeinsam mit seinen Verbündeten mac
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Dec 19, 2007
Victoria
rated it:
I'm currently re-reading this book. Watching the very dated BBC show every Christmas Eve is an annual tradition of mine, but I haven't read the book for years.
I generally love novels written in the 30s/40s, as they evoke an old fashioned English charm I adore, and this is a particularly warming read as it's set against the backdrop of a snowy country Christmas with a big dose of magical fantasy thrown in for good measure.
As it's a children's book the narrative has a fast More...
I generally love novels written in the 30s/40s, as they evoke an old fashioned English charm I adore, and this is a particularly warming read as it's set against the backdrop of a snowy country Christmas with a big dose of magical fantasy thrown in for good measure.
As it's a children's book the narrative has a fast More...
Dec 16, 2010
Mark
rated it:
After growing up with the TV adapatation of this book, it's impossible to read this book without hearing the voices of the likes of Patrick Troughton and Robert Stephens. It also makes it difficult to judge the book on its own merits as I can't help but compare it to the TV version.
As it is, I have to say that the TV version is better in my opinion. There are several scenes in the book that didn't make it to the screen and I can see why they were cut as they don't really add anythin More...
As it is, I have to say that the TV version is better in my opinion. There are several scenes in the book that didn't make it to the screen and I can see why they were cut as they don't really add anythin More...
Jan 19, 2009
Cynthia
rated it:
Well-written, compelling YA fantasy. Loved the book but gave it four stars because I thought the ending was a little weak. Two pages in I was already planning who would get it for Christmas! It reminded me strongly of Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising books, mixed with the Narnia Chronicles and a little Harry Potter. Since it predates all of them, I wonder if any of those authors had read Masefield. Can't wait to read his earlier book.
Dec 16, 2008
NanTze
rated it: 
ONe of my favorite Christmas books, this book by John Masefield is a companion to The Midnight Folk, but can be read without reading the previous book. It is a marvelous fantasy set in England about a boy named Kay who meets an old Punch and Judy man on Christmas eve and has many adventures through the Christmas season.
Dec 26, 2008
Erik
rated it:
I had read that this was a great book to read aloud to kids around Christmastime. It had its charms, but the plot was almost incomprehensible. The colloquialisms of 1930s England also required quite a bit of translating. My girls claimed to enjoy it, but I'm not sure I believed them!
Jan 02, 2010
Chuck
rated it:
This was a great story but perhaps hard to access for today's kid. There is plenty of dated language and it seems very British. There is no coddling here, magic and reality flow back and forth without warning. Some of the vocab is ambitious for today's youth
Jun 19, 2009
Jeffrey
rated it:
I guess this isn't necessarily a children's book... a pre-Harry Potter tale of wonder in the vein of C.S. Lewis, a quick and entertaining story. Although, perhaps I should have read this around Christmastime rather than mid-June.
Dec 23, 2011
Helen
rated it:
Watching the wonderful 1984 BBC adaptation of this novel is an essential part of my Christmas and has been for years so I thought it was about time I read the book. Set in 1935, it's the story of a schoolboy, Kay Harker who finds himself caught up in fantastical adventures during the Christmas holidays thanks to a magical box entrusted to him by a mysterious 'Punch and Judy' man. It turned out to be just as charming and cosy and nostalgic and festive as the DVD which I now appreciate is a very f
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Feb 18, 2011
Elaine
rated it:
I found it especially interesting as a precursor to C.S. Lewis' Narnia series and the Harry Potter books. What made me restless in the book was resolved on the last page.
Nov 14, 2009
Hilary
rated it:
The best Christmas story ever written. An ancient magic box, greedy villains, blizzards, cars that turn into silent aeroplanes, roller-skating mice - what else could you want?!
Jan 03, 2011
Erin
rated it:
As delightful as the title would indicate, plus darling illustrations. Magic plus Christmas is always an excellent and welcome combination, to my way of thinking.
Sep 09, 2009
Karl
rated it:
This is a youth fiction story that I originally saw as a child produced for television on the PBS series 'Wonder Works'. It's a fun read for winter time.
Aug 26, 2009
Jan
rated it:
This was televised when my three were young, I bought them the book and we all read it,Childrens books are not just for kids. Magical intelligent read.
Dec 18, 2011
Bev
rated it:
An excellent children's book for the Christmas season, written in 1935 by poet John Masefield. Wonderful dream sequences and swashbuckling adventures -- reminds me of the Father Christmas letters of Tolkein.
Oct 08, 2008
Jeffrey
rated it:
This is a wonderful book. I bought it to read to my children, and I think that they are a bit too young still, but soon my pet.
A clear inspiration for The Dark is Rising, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and even Harry Potter, this book is set in an England where there is more going on than meets the eye. The history and traditions of the English (ex. Romans, Celts, King Arthur, and others) are real and matter. Apparently (I'm learning this just now), this is a sequel to a More...
A clear inspiration for The Dark is Rising, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and even Harry Potter, this book is set in an England where there is more going on than meets the eye. The history and traditions of the English (ex. Romans, Celts, King Arthur, and others) are real and matter. Apparently (I'm learning this just now), this is a sequel to a More...
Aug 27, 2011
Jonathan
rated it:
Grossly inferior to The Midnight Folk. Trappings are there, none of the heart and soul. A classic bad sequel.
Aug 23, 2009
Margaret
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 20, 2007
Vivienne
rated it:
This is very much a book of its time, having been written in 1935. However, its tale of magic and plucky youngsters taking on a bunch of rotters (Abner Brown and his gang) who are after the box of the title are delightful, timeless and full of Christmas spirit.
It also weaves in Pagan themes in with the Christian as its protagonist, Kay, travels in the company of Herne the Hunter and a Lady of the Woods. I do feel that it must have been an influence upon Susan Cooper for 'The Dark is More...
It also weaves in Pagan themes in with the Christian as its protagonist, Kay, travels in the company of Herne the Hunter and a Lady of the Woods. I do feel that it must have been an influence upon Susan Cooper for 'The Dark is More...
