Hob and the Pedlar

Hob Stories

by William Mayne

Hob meets a pedlar who sells him to a new family. The family live in what seems a perfect home, but it has a dark secret - a secret that lives in the pond. Hob is used to dealing with small problems, but this one is huge. Using cunning and resourcefulness, he overcomes his biggest problem yet.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Juvenile

Hardcover

First published September 15, 1997

About the author

William Mayne was a British writer of children's fiction. Born in Hull, he was educated at the choir school attached to Canterbury Cathedral and his memories of that time contributed to his early books. He lived most of his life in North Yorkshire.

He was described as one of the outstanding children's authors of the 20th Century by the Oxford Companion to Children's Literature, and won the Carnegie Medal in 1957 for A Grass Rope and the Guardian Award in 1993 for Low Tide. He has written more than a hundred books, and is best known for his Choir School quartet comprising A Swarm in May, Choristers' Cake, Cathedral Wednesday and Words and Music, and his Earthfasts trilogy comprising Earthfasts, Cradlefasts and Candlefasts, an unusual evocation of the King Arthur legend.

A Swarm in May was filmed by the Children's Film Unit in 1983 and a five-part television series of Earthfasts was broadcast by the BBC in 1994.

William Mayne was imprisoned for two and a half years in 2004 after admitting to charges of child sexual abuse and was placed on the British sex offenders' register. His books were largely removed from shelves, and he died in disgrace in 2010.

Reviews

[Miranda]

I have a bewildered fondness for this book, which I read in elementary school: I only remember the odd, slightly hostile feeling of the world, and a few jumbled bits and pieces. I do remember liking it, and it has left a strong impression on me, but I also have the lingering feeling that this book would be as nearly incomprehensible to me now as it was at 9 or so.
I don't even KNOW how to rate it!

[EchoHouseLibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as quirky and surprising and the first Hob story...but with that familiar way Hob has for comfort. This story was nearly bewitching with it's magical foreboding...and the final "nemesis" turns out not to be at all monsterous, just a loving bond.

[Michel Boissonneault · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started the book last winter whilst going to my dental appointments and finished Wednesday, August 14, 2024. i read sporadically, not being very engaging as a children’s literary offer.