The amazing adventures of Curd the Lion (and us!) in the land at the back of beyond

by Alan Gilliland

When the Great Raven steals their Mother's precious brooch, the Twins, Henry and Henrietta, are blamed and told that, unless the brooch is returned, their Birthday Party in four days' time will be cancelled and that their four Animals, Curd the Lion, Pilgrim Crow, Sweeney the Heenie (a hyena), and O'Flattery the Snake, will be given away to the Charity Shop.Curd the Lion, who witnessed the theft, leads the Animals out that night, all the way to the Back of Beyond, to find the Great Raven and try to rescue the brooch.Meeting first that unfathomable inflatable, Professor Balloonafuss, creatures they encounter include 'His Majesty King Much of a Muchness', Nook and Cranny, Queen Mumbie-Bumbee and the Dodongs.By the time they enter Holywood, with its Minor-Bore, knightly Sir Rush and his Kalandar, their route has become so riddled with pitfalls and the talk of the beasts so twisted, the Animals can hardly tell whether they are coming or going.Reaching at last the Rocks of Brimstone and the out-jutting Corbie-stone, lair of the Great Raven, the Animals discover both friends and foes converging on this pivotal rock. A great battle ensues. The author has included the first three chapters of a second adventure, 'The Ineffable Emperor, or, Travels in the Land of Nod in the Great Sea of Slumber', as an invitation to readers to ask for more. No illustrations (though there will be of course, in the real book)

176 pages, Hardcover

First published October 20, 2008

Reviews

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rating is Sean's. I had met the author in the town bookshop in Knutsford when I was over in August this year. He very kindly dedicated the copy I purchased to Sean, who was a little mystified as to why that should be, but was pleased with the book.

We read it last week. There's plenty here to keep the attention and the illustrations are excellent.

Four toy friends set out to retrieve a brooch stolen by a raven and meet with many adventures along the way. If you crossed Alice in Wonderland with a little of Lear's nonsense and threw in some mythology to an adventure yarn, you would have a pretty good idea of this book. I'd recommend it for children's reading from age 7 to about 14.

[Lucy Stockwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had an absolute blast reading this book, picked it up whenever I felt like it and it was such a good read. Would recommend it to anyone of any age group. Really enjoyed it!

[Liberty · Rating 1 out of 5]

unreadable
Tries painfully hard to be like Alice in Wonderland.

[Steveo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, Interesting, Original.