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The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams
In a strange little village called Witchetty Hollow, eleven-year-old Florizel is the first to run into the curious visitors who've come to open a brand new Daydream Delicatessen and sack-baby factory.
At first, it seems the daydream confection and cheap sack children are the best things that could have happened to the poor folk of the Hollow - after all, who has the money to rent their child from Storkhouse Services these days? But after a few weeks, Florizel starts to notice something odd happening to the adults of the town. First, they seem dreamy, then they lose all interest in their jobs and families. Soon they're trading all their worldly goods in the newly-opened Pawnshop for money to buy daydreams. With no money for rent payments, the children of Witchetty Hollow are being reclaimed by Storkhouse Services at an alarming rate. Florizel needs to act.
A magical tale of intrigue and adventure from award-winning children's author Victoria Williamson.
At first, it seems the daydream confection and cheap sack children are the best things that could have happened to the poor folk of the Hollow - after all, who has the money to rent their child from Storkhouse Services these days? But after a few weeks, Florizel starts to notice something odd happening to the adults of the town. First, they seem dreamy, then they lose all interest in their jobs and families. Soon they're trading all their worldly goods in the newly-opened Pawnshop for money to buy daydreams. With no money for rent payments, the children of Witchetty Hollow are being reclaimed by Storkhouse Services at an alarming rate. Florizel needs to act.
A magical tale of intrigue and adventure from award-winning children's author Victoria Williamson.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 11, 2023
142 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Williamson
27 books78 followersA lifelong storyteller and daydreamer, Victoria Williamson is an author and teacher who has lived and worked in Africa, China, America and the UK.
Victoria grew up in Kirkintilloch, north Glasgow, surrounded by hills on the edge of a forest estate where many of her early ghost stories and fantasy tales were born amid the magical trees and spooky old ruined buildings.
After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real life adventures, which included teaching Maths and Science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with special needs in the UK.
A qualified primary school teacher with a degree in Mandarin Chinese from Yunnan University and a Master’s degree in Special Needs Education, Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see a reflection of themselves in a heroic role.
Victoria’s experiences of teaching young children in a deprived area of Glasgow, many of whom were asylum seekers, inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of friendship between Glasgow girl Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.
Victoria writes fantasy, adventure, science fiction and contemporary issue novels for Middle Grade (9-12), Teen, and Young Adult readers. Many of her books have been inspired by children she has met on her travels, both abroad and in the UK. She is currently working on a Middle Grade novel exploring the issues faced by a boy with ADHD who is struggling to fit in with his new step-family, and a spooky adventure novel for Teens, centred around a cast of characters with special needs including deafness, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
Twenty percent of her author royalties for The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle are donated to the Scottish Refugee Council.
You can find out more about Victoria's books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com
Victoria grew up in Kirkintilloch, north Glasgow, surrounded by hills on the edge of a forest estate where many of her early ghost stories and fantasy tales were born amid the magical trees and spooky old ruined buildings.
After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real life adventures, which included teaching Maths and Science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with special needs in the UK.
A qualified primary school teacher with a degree in Mandarin Chinese from Yunnan University and a Master’s degree in Special Needs Education, Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see a reflection of themselves in a heroic role.
Victoria’s experiences of teaching young children in a deprived area of Glasgow, many of whom were asylum seekers, inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of friendship between Glasgow girl Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.
Victoria writes fantasy, adventure, science fiction and contemporary issue novels for Middle Grade (9-12), Teen, and Young Adult readers. Many of her books have been inspired by children she has met on her travels, both abroad and in the UK. She is currently working on a Middle Grade novel exploring the issues faced by a boy with ADHD who is struggling to fit in with his new step-family, and a spooky adventure novel for Teens, centred around a cast of characters with special needs including deafness, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
Twenty percent of her author royalties for The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle are donated to the Scottish Refugee Council.
You can find out more about Victoria's books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 19, 2023
In a Nutshell: A captivating dark fantasy for middle graders. Memorable protagonist and hair-raising adventures. I’d have devoured this in one go in my childhood!
Story Synopsis:
The plot had all the ingredients I would have relished in my childhood – magic, adventure, danger, quirky situations, villainous villains, and a brave (female) protagonist.
As a dark fantasy, this provides chills and thrills in the right places. The daydream delicatessen begins innocently but soon enters ominous territory, adding to the perilous feel. The titular pawnshop also has an important role to play, but as it appears much later in the story, I won’t spoil your fun by revealing how it functions.
Florizel is an amazing lead character. She finds herself in some tough spots at times, with only her courage and her brains to help her out, but she keeps her wits every time and doesn’t rely on instinct alone – a quality so important for kids to imbibe. I couldn’t help feel sorry for her as she struggled with proving her supposed ineptitude just to stay with her Gammer Oakenshaw. Her friendship with Burble develops organically through the plot, rather than the two bonding instantly over being the outcasts of the class.
There are plenty of other interesting characters, with one of the most endearing being the ‘sack boy’ Burble. I don’t want to reveal too much about him, but suffice to say, he is the heart of the book. It took me a while to remember the myriad characters, but going with the flow helped a lot. Some characters resort to extreme bullying, so please take note of that in case your child is sensitive about the topic.
The village setting adds to the charm, as such a plot could only work in a quaint English village reminiscent of Enid Blyton’s stories. The author makes excellent use of the atmosphere to heighten the impact of the Gobbelinos and their menacing plans.
As an adult reader, I could see a few situations where the going is too hurried or exaggerated. However, I am sure I would not have noticed those issues as a middle-grader, so I’ll let the teeny plot holes slide. The only concern I had was the use of Dahl-esque spellings in numbers. I get how bizarre words sometimes add to the enjoyment in MG fiction, but seeing the children use strange numbers such as twixty-five and severity-two was odd, especially as some number names were genuine and some, inventive.
Other than that, no complaints. This is a fast-paced read with many captivating moments and a great ending. It took me some time to get into a reading groove, but once the book got going, it did get going!
The presence of some amazing B&W illustrations scattered through the book heightens the creepiness.
All in all, this imaginative read has plenty going for it. It ought to keep most fantasy-loving middle-graders happy with its sticky situations and wild adventures. Definitely recommended.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to TheWriteReads for a complimentary copy of “The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Witchetty Hollow is an unusual village where people cannot have kids and hence rent them through Storkhouse Services. One such rented child is eleven-year-old Florizel, who lives with the poor but loving Gammer Oakenshaw.
One night, as Florizel is rushing home, she runs into some strange visitors, the Gobbelino siblings. She soon discovers that the trio has come to open a Daydream Delicatessen and a sack-baby factory. While both the establishments come as novel concepts to the villagers, it is soon clear that there is something fishy going on. It is now up to clever Florizel, along with her whimsical sack-baby companion named Burble, to save the day.
The story comes to us from the third person perspective of Florizel.
The plot had all the ingredients I would have relished in my childhood – magic, adventure, danger, quirky situations, villainous villains, and a brave (female) protagonist.
As a dark fantasy, this provides chills and thrills in the right places. The daydream delicatessen begins innocently but soon enters ominous territory, adding to the perilous feel. The titular pawnshop also has an important role to play, but as it appears much later in the story, I won’t spoil your fun by revealing how it functions.
Florizel is an amazing lead character. She finds herself in some tough spots at times, with only her courage and her brains to help her out, but she keeps her wits every time and doesn’t rely on instinct alone – a quality so important for kids to imbibe. I couldn’t help feel sorry for her as she struggled with proving her supposed ineptitude just to stay with her Gammer Oakenshaw. Her friendship with Burble develops organically through the plot, rather than the two bonding instantly over being the outcasts of the class.
There are plenty of other interesting characters, with one of the most endearing being the ‘sack boy’ Burble. I don’t want to reveal too much about him, but suffice to say, he is the heart of the book. It took me a while to remember the myriad characters, but going with the flow helped a lot. Some characters resort to extreme bullying, so please take note of that in case your child is sensitive about the topic.
The village setting adds to the charm, as such a plot could only work in a quaint English village reminiscent of Enid Blyton’s stories. The author makes excellent use of the atmosphere to heighten the impact of the Gobbelinos and their menacing plans.
As an adult reader, I could see a few situations where the going is too hurried or exaggerated. However, I am sure I would not have noticed those issues as a middle-grader, so I’ll let the teeny plot holes slide. The only concern I had was the use of Dahl-esque spellings in numbers. I get how bizarre words sometimes add to the enjoyment in MG fiction, but seeing the children use strange numbers such as twixty-five and severity-two was odd, especially as some number names were genuine and some, inventive.
Other than that, no complaints. This is a fast-paced read with many captivating moments and a great ending. It took me some time to get into a reading groove, but once the book got going, it did get going!
The presence of some amazing B&W illustrations scattered through the book heightens the creepiness.
All in all, this imaginative read has plenty going for it. It ought to keep most fantasy-loving middle-graders happy with its sticky situations and wild adventures. Definitely recommended.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to TheWriteReads for a complimentary copy of “The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
June 20, 2023
I sooo wish I’d had “The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams” to read when I was younger. I’d have relished this story with gusto and would have ensured my reading buddy’s knew all about it! I greedily devoured this now as an adult, reliving a past youth of fanciful tales of folklore and weird and wonderful fairytales. Aimed at an audience of 8 - 12 years olds (and young minded adults!), I would caution on too young a reader, as there are some tense and uncomfortable moments (as the story requires) but for me this all added to the brilliance of the story, by incorporating such anxious childish horror with an entertaining and emotional fun story.
I loved the characters especially the ‘sack boy’ Burble, who I related in my mind to a cross between Gollum, a Toy Story character and a cuddly teddy bear. The unique establishment of the ‘Daydream Delicatessen’ was a remarkable place, giving off vibes of ‘Hansel and Gretal’. The ‘StorkHouse Services’ were like child catchers, reclaiming children from families who could no longer pay rent for them.
The charcoal illustrations by James Brown throughout , were a perfect accompaniment to a story, which requires a vivid imagination in order to conjure the fantastical images and these really helped to clarify, exactly what the author intended for the reader to visualise.
It’s a very long time since I enjoyed such escapism, the author Victoria Williamson truly took me on a wild adventure in the village of ‘Witchetty Hollow’ and if you have kids suitable for age of this book, I’d definitely recommend “The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams”, it’s a delightful, gothic and hugely atmospheric read that for me isn’t anything else than 5 stars!
#ThePawnshopOfStolenDreams - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to ‘The Write Reads’ for inviting me on this tour and to the publisher for my copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
I loved the characters especially the ‘sack boy’ Burble, who I related in my mind to a cross between Gollum, a Toy Story character and a cuddly teddy bear. The unique establishment of the ‘Daydream Delicatessen’ was a remarkable place, giving off vibes of ‘Hansel and Gretal’. The ‘StorkHouse Services’ were like child catchers, reclaiming children from families who could no longer pay rent for them.
The charcoal illustrations by James Brown throughout , were a perfect accompaniment to a story, which requires a vivid imagination in order to conjure the fantastical images and these really helped to clarify, exactly what the author intended for the reader to visualise.
It’s a very long time since I enjoyed such escapism, the author Victoria Williamson truly took me on a wild adventure in the village of ‘Witchetty Hollow’ and if you have kids suitable for age of this book, I’d definitely recommend “The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams”, it’s a delightful, gothic and hugely atmospheric read that for me isn’t anything else than 5 stars!
#ThePawnshopOfStolenDreams - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to ‘The Write Reads’ for inviting me on this tour and to the publisher for my copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
June 13, 2023
This is a fantastic middle grade book with wonder, magic and lessons of acceptance. I really enjoyed the characters and setting of the book. It gave me Garbage Pale Kids and Raggy Doll vibes. The setting of the book was perfect, a world where having children was hard so you had to rent children. The company created to rent children would regulate the rent based on the child's ability academically and this was assessed in the schools. The towns were then invaded by the Gobbelino's and their daydream delicatessen and sack baby factory changing the town forever. Florizel stumbles across Burple, a small sack boy escaping the recycling process who changes her life forever. As somebody who had to hide who should truly was she found a way to stand tall and fight for what is right. A great story for children, in middle grade who love magic and mystery.
June 14, 2023
Think 90% Grimm’s Fairy Tales crossed with 10% Enid Blyton and you will be about there!
This is a dark and creepy fairy tail which I lapped up! It is the story of a small village where children have to be rented as babies are no longer born. The rumour is because of the polluted water. Florizel is one of the rented children, who must pretend to be a dunce at school or her rent will go up, her gamma won’t be able to afford to keep her and she will be taken away by the Child Collector (think the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang).
Florizel meets Burble, a sack boy made in the local factory, who was going to be recycled but escaped. Burble wants to go to school and learn things, but he only knows his alphabet as far as A, and can’t count. He is accident prone but just wants to help and be included.
Between them, they uncover the dastardly doings of the Gobbelino family.
An enchanting read, set in a fantasy world for brave middle graders. Not for those terrified of The Child Catcher! I enjoyed the fact it was a child who led the way to save her village from the bad adults, having also eventually taken Burble under her wing.
It was quite a short read at just over 200 pages. I would have happily read twice the number of pages to have been immersed a little longer in the story and got to know more about the village and the sack children.
This is a dark and creepy fairy tail which I lapped up! It is the story of a small village where children have to be rented as babies are no longer born. The rumour is because of the polluted water. Florizel is one of the rented children, who must pretend to be a dunce at school or her rent will go up, her gamma won’t be able to afford to keep her and she will be taken away by the Child Collector (think the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang).
Florizel meets Burble, a sack boy made in the local factory, who was going to be recycled but escaped. Burble wants to go to school and learn things, but he only knows his alphabet as far as A, and can’t count. He is accident prone but just wants to help and be included.
Between them, they uncover the dastardly doings of the Gobbelino family.
An enchanting read, set in a fantasy world for brave middle graders. Not for those terrified of The Child Catcher! I enjoyed the fact it was a child who led the way to save her village from the bad adults, having also eventually taken Burble under her wing.
It was quite a short read at just over 200 pages. I would have happily read twice the number of pages to have been immersed a little longer in the story and got to know more about the village and the sack children.
June 8, 2023
Thank you to The Write Reads and the publisher for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.
Fantasy being one of my favorite genres is nothing new. Recently, though, I’ve been exploring middle grade fantasy more and more. There are just so many incredible stories out there and I love finding them! There’s also the fact that my son is firmly in the middle grade reading zone and I like to pass books on to him that I think he’ll enjoy. So when I saw the tour for The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams advertised, I immediately jumped on board!
This novel follows a young girl named Florizel who lives in the town of Witchetty Hollow. Florizel, like all the other children in her town, has been rented by her gammer as people can no longer have children because of pollution from sack baby factories. To keep her rent low, Florizel must pretend to be less than she is, which makes her a target for bullying at school. Then, she makes the most unlikely of friends… a sack boy that has escaped from the factories in search of a true family.
This was such a fast, engaging read! I enjoyed the characters the most, with Florizel charming me instantly. Burble, our sack boy friend, is a bundle of disaster and I love that about him, haha. These two main characters get the most love in this story because the others didn’t feel as well-developed as them. They were a bit like caricatures of vices the author wished to portray. Still, I think for the younger end of middle grade, that’s not a bad thing at all! It makes the messages of the story pretty clear.
The story itself was a wonderful mixture of eeriness and heart that I truly enjoyed. The only issue I had is that it all felt so rushed! It is a shorter book, coming in at just over 200 pages, but there’s so much going on in the plot that I think this could have benefitted from being a bit longer. I wanted to know so much more about this world and the villains! Still, what we did get was definitely compelling and had me flying through the pages.
Overall, I think this was a solid middle grade fantasy, especially for kids on the lower end of the age range. It had great characters, the writing sucks you in, and the story was just fun. In that spooky sort of way.
Fantasy being one of my favorite genres is nothing new. Recently, though, I’ve been exploring middle grade fantasy more and more. There are just so many incredible stories out there and I love finding them! There’s also the fact that my son is firmly in the middle grade reading zone and I like to pass books on to him that I think he’ll enjoy. So when I saw the tour for The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams advertised, I immediately jumped on board!
This novel follows a young girl named Florizel who lives in the town of Witchetty Hollow. Florizel, like all the other children in her town, has been rented by her gammer as people can no longer have children because of pollution from sack baby factories. To keep her rent low, Florizel must pretend to be less than she is, which makes her a target for bullying at school. Then, she makes the most unlikely of friends… a sack boy that has escaped from the factories in search of a true family.
This was such a fast, engaging read! I enjoyed the characters the most, with Florizel charming me instantly. Burble, our sack boy friend, is a bundle of disaster and I love that about him, haha. These two main characters get the most love in this story because the others didn’t feel as well-developed as them. They were a bit like caricatures of vices the author wished to portray. Still, I think for the younger end of middle grade, that’s not a bad thing at all! It makes the messages of the story pretty clear.
The story itself was a wonderful mixture of eeriness and heart that I truly enjoyed. The only issue I had is that it all felt so rushed! It is a shorter book, coming in at just over 200 pages, but there’s so much going on in the plot that I think this could have benefitted from being a bit longer. I wanted to know so much more about this world and the villains! Still, what we did get was definitely compelling and had me flying through the pages.
Overall, I think this was a solid middle grade fantasy, especially for kids on the lower end of the age range. It had great characters, the writing sucks you in, and the story was just fun. In that spooky sort of way.
June 20, 2023
Book source ~ TWR Tour
Witchetty Hollow. How cool of a name is that for a small weird village in the middle of pretty much nothing? Well, there are other weird little villages around, but this story takes place in Witchetty Hollow. Because that is where 11-yr-old Florizel lives with her gammer. She’s not really Florizel’s grandma though. The children in Witchetty Hollow are rented from Storkhouse Services. When the grown ups can’t pay the rent the children get reclaimed. Yikes. Anyway, at the start of the tale there’s a new store in town, the Daydream Delicatessen and it’s soon followed by the Pawnshop. But also, a sack-baby factory has opened. Things are about to get weirder in Witchetty Hollow. I just like saying Witchetty Hollow. Can you tell?
What a strange and wonderful story this is! Adults get all whackadoodle and a kid has to save the day. The world is super creative, the plot fantastical (well, it is a middle grade fantasy after all), and you can’t help but root for Flori to win the day and save everyone, including her new friend, the sack-child named Burble. Sack-baby, sack-child, rented kids. What the heckin? LOL This is some imaginative stuff and a highly enjoyable read.
If you’ve ever read Lemony Snicket or The Beast and the Bethany then this book is right up your middle grade fantasy alley.
Witchetty Hollow. How cool of a name is that for a small weird village in the middle of pretty much nothing? Well, there are other weird little villages around, but this story takes place in Witchetty Hollow. Because that is where 11-yr-old Florizel lives with her gammer. She’s not really Florizel’s grandma though. The children in Witchetty Hollow are rented from Storkhouse Services. When the grown ups can’t pay the rent the children get reclaimed. Yikes. Anyway, at the start of the tale there’s a new store in town, the Daydream Delicatessen and it’s soon followed by the Pawnshop. But also, a sack-baby factory has opened. Things are about to get weirder in Witchetty Hollow. I just like saying Witchetty Hollow. Can you tell?
What a strange and wonderful story this is! Adults get all whackadoodle and a kid has to save the day. The world is super creative, the plot fantastical (well, it is a middle grade fantasy after all), and you can’t help but root for Flori to win the day and save everyone, including her new friend, the sack-child named Burble. Sack-baby, sack-child, rented kids. What the heckin? LOL This is some imaginative stuff and a highly enjoyable read.
If you’ve ever read Lemony Snicket or The Beast and the Bethany then this book is right up your middle grade fantasy alley.
June 10, 2023
I love middle grade, and middle grade fantasy is just so much fun! I love that young readers get to experience this genre in such an expansive way.
The Pawnshop Of Stolen Dreams is an energetic, original fun adventure featuring Florizel, an eleven year old girl who lives in the strange, sleepy village of Witchetty Hollow When she encounters some curious visitors who want to open a daydream delicatessen and a sack baby factory, she's not convinced they are as well meaning as the poor village folk think. The daydreams are rotten, and the people are trading their worldly goods. With her new found found friend sack child Burble, can they protect the village from evil?
I had such a great time with this book! It's captivating and fast-paced with brilliant world building. I loved the friendship between Burble and Florizel. The dynamics between them are adorable. Burble was by far my favourite character. He's funny and so diastorous, but his heart is golden. I do wish the secondary characters were a bit more developed, but overall, this didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. If you're looking for a fun, adventurous read with quirky characters, I would definitely recommend this one!
The Pawnshop Of Stolen Dreams is an energetic, original fun adventure featuring Florizel, an eleven year old girl who lives in the strange, sleepy village of Witchetty Hollow When she encounters some curious visitors who want to open a daydream delicatessen and a sack baby factory, she's not convinced they are as well meaning as the poor village folk think. The daydreams are rotten, and the people are trading their worldly goods. With her new found found friend sack child Burble, can they protect the village from evil?
I had such a great time with this book! It's captivating and fast-paced with brilliant world building. I loved the friendship between Burble and Florizel. The dynamics between them are adorable. Burble was by far my favourite character. He's funny and so diastorous, but his heart is golden. I do wish the secondary characters were a bit more developed, but overall, this didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. If you're looking for a fun, adventurous read with quirky characters, I would definitely recommend this one!
June 16, 2023
Generally speaking, I am not a fan of the fantasy genre. However, this book for children has encouraged me to explore the genre more widely as I really enjoyed it.
For my full review please visit my blog at:
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For my full review please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
June 7, 2023
I'm quite sure I've never read anything quite like this before! It reminded me a lot of Pinocchio at first, but I quickly recognised that this is a very original story, with dark undertones and hilarity throughout - it seemed a little like a fever dream. I enjoyed getting to know Florizel and Burble and witnessing their unexpected relationship bloom, as well as accompanying them on their strange adventure. The pictures throughout were a fantastic companion.
June 5, 2023
The concept of a world where there aren’t enough children so they must be rented, is so unique! I loved it! The fact that the children learn how to manipulate things so the rent for them will be cheaper for the poorer families is great. The sack babies represent so many people who are considered different and the way they are treated, something that is a massive problem. This story is both dark and humorous. It says so much about society and is very entertaining.
June 13, 2023
I’ve recently got in to middle grade books a lot more, and the blurb for The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams really intrigued me. I wasn’t too sure what to expect going in to it, but it certainly surpassed anything I had imagined.
The story begins with Florizel making her way through the forest on her way home, when a carriage heads towards her. From her hiding place, she sees that it’s the Gobbelino family, who own the Daydream Delicatessens, sack-baby factories, and pawnshops. But what Florizel witnesses in the forest is a truly terrifying sight. From the opening chapter, this book has you completely hooked. To begin with, I thought the storyline was a little bizarre, but certainly not in a bad way. It made you want to read on and learn more, and to find out what is really going on in Witchetty Hollow.
We are soon introduced to Burble, a sweet little sack-boy who just wants to be like a real boy. To begin with Florizel didn’t really know how to react to him, but she soon becomes so accepting, and friendly towards him, and they build a truly beautiful friendship throughout the book. Unfortunately the rest of the children aren’t so welcoming, and bully him. Children can be so cruel, and Burble experiences that first hand, but he never lets it get him down.
I hated the Gobbelino family from the get go. They were clearly evil, and I just wished the villagers could have seen that for themselves from the very start. But the Gobbelinos were clever, and they knew how to get what they wanted. Their whole delicatessen, sack-baby factory, and pawnshop trio was a way of manipulating everyone for their own gain. Making people think they needed something so desperately, and giving them solutions when they couldn’t afford it, all of which lined their own pockets. I personally felt that this whole situation very much resembles modern day society. The rich manipulating the poor for their own benefit, without a single care for the welfare of others or how their actions are destroying lives.
Following Florizel and Burble’s detective work into what the Gobbelino’s were really up to was a lot of fun. It was filled with danger, and bone chilling moments, and was just so enjoyable to read. The climax of the story has you on the edge of the seat and has you flipping the pages as quick as you can to find out how things end. The way the book does end lives up to the standard of the rest of the story, and is extremely satisfying, but also rather lovely.
This book reminds me of an old-school fairy tale, like those written by the Grimm brothers. There’s an eerie darkness to this story that I hadn’t expected which was a pleasant surprise, and I loved every second of it. Plus, the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! It is definitely in my top 10 books I’ve read in 2023 so far.
I give The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams a 5 star rating!
The story begins with Florizel making her way through the forest on her way home, when a carriage heads towards her. From her hiding place, she sees that it’s the Gobbelino family, who own the Daydream Delicatessens, sack-baby factories, and pawnshops. But what Florizel witnesses in the forest is a truly terrifying sight. From the opening chapter, this book has you completely hooked. To begin with, I thought the storyline was a little bizarre, but certainly not in a bad way. It made you want to read on and learn more, and to find out what is really going on in Witchetty Hollow.
We are soon introduced to Burble, a sweet little sack-boy who just wants to be like a real boy. To begin with Florizel didn’t really know how to react to him, but she soon becomes so accepting, and friendly towards him, and they build a truly beautiful friendship throughout the book. Unfortunately the rest of the children aren’t so welcoming, and bully him. Children can be so cruel, and Burble experiences that first hand, but he never lets it get him down.
I hated the Gobbelino family from the get go. They were clearly evil, and I just wished the villagers could have seen that for themselves from the very start. But the Gobbelinos were clever, and they knew how to get what they wanted. Their whole delicatessen, sack-baby factory, and pawnshop trio was a way of manipulating everyone for their own gain. Making people think they needed something so desperately, and giving them solutions when they couldn’t afford it, all of which lined their own pockets. I personally felt that this whole situation very much resembles modern day society. The rich manipulating the poor for their own benefit, without a single care for the welfare of others or how their actions are destroying lives.
Following Florizel and Burble’s detective work into what the Gobbelino’s were really up to was a lot of fun. It was filled with danger, and bone chilling moments, and was just so enjoyable to read. The climax of the story has you on the edge of the seat and has you flipping the pages as quick as you can to find out how things end. The way the book does end lives up to the standard of the rest of the story, and is extremely satisfying, but also rather lovely.
This book reminds me of an old-school fairy tale, like those written by the Grimm brothers. There’s an eerie darkness to this story that I hadn’t expected which was a pleasant surprise, and I loved every second of it. Plus, the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! It is definitely in my top 10 books I’ve read in 2023 so far.
I give The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams a 5 star rating!
June 14, 2023
I loved this book! Think Hensel and Gretel, Tim Burton and Paddington Bear and you kind of have the vibe of The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams. It’s so wonderfully creepy and magical and imaginative, it will keep you entertained from page 1!
Something very unique about this story is that many children in Witchetty Hollow are ‘rented’, and the better they are at school (for example), the higher their rent. That is why Florizel, our main character, tries her hardest to fail her tests or at least do very badly (even though she is very smart) just so she can stay in her home – and therefore gets bullied by the other children, especially the wealthier ones.
But not only that, there are also a different sort of children: the so-called sack-babies. They are actually filled sacks and so they are very cheap, but have to be returned by their 10th ‘birthday’ and will then be recycled. As you can see, all very unique concepts!
I already loved Hag Storm by this author (highly recommended!), and now I loved Pawnshop too! Can’t wait to read more by Victoria! If you like slightly darker middle grade stories, fairytale vibes and unusual friendships, you will love this book too!
5 stars from me!
Something very unique about this story is that many children in Witchetty Hollow are ‘rented’, and the better they are at school (for example), the higher their rent. That is why Florizel, our main character, tries her hardest to fail her tests or at least do very badly (even though she is very smart) just so she can stay in her home – and therefore gets bullied by the other children, especially the wealthier ones.
But not only that, there are also a different sort of children: the so-called sack-babies. They are actually filled sacks and so they are very cheap, but have to be returned by their 10th ‘birthday’ and will then be recycled. As you can see, all very unique concepts!
I already loved Hag Storm by this author (highly recommended!), and now I loved Pawnshop too! Can’t wait to read more by Victoria! If you like slightly darker middle grade stories, fairytale vibes and unusual friendships, you will love this book too!
5 stars from me!
June 2, 2023
I received an eARC as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
THE PAWNSHOP OF STOLEN DREAMS is a Middle Grade novel that manages the delicate combination of being both charming and hopeful while also being rather dark.
This is an inventive world where there aren't enough children so they have to be rented from agencies for a varying fee, leaving the children and their families to live in fear of missing payments. Fees varying based on things like academic performance, so children from poorer houses deliberately fail in school to keep their rents down.
The other way the world is profiting off a lack of children is through the creation of "sack babies", children made from fabric and stuffing. The book uses them to explore how cruel people can be to those deemed "lesser." Sack babies can walk and talk and thing, but as they're not human, there is plenty of prejudice against them. However, the primary sack baby we meet is charming and provides much of the comedy of the book as he learns about the world.
It is quite a dark concept, about how capitalism would profit from a lack of children. The book has quite a creepy tone thanks to the dangerous allure of a brand new sweetshop and all the odd happenings around it. However, there is so much hope in the book, as it's ultimately a tale of friendship and sticking up for your community.
THE PAWNSHOP OF STOLEN DREAMS is a Middle Grade novel that manages the delicate combination of being both charming and hopeful while also being rather dark.
This is an inventive world where there aren't enough children so they have to be rented from agencies for a varying fee, leaving the children and their families to live in fear of missing payments. Fees varying based on things like academic performance, so children from poorer houses deliberately fail in school to keep their rents down.
The other way the world is profiting off a lack of children is through the creation of "sack babies", children made from fabric and stuffing. The book uses them to explore how cruel people can be to those deemed "lesser." Sack babies can walk and talk and thing, but as they're not human, there is plenty of prejudice against them. However, the primary sack baby we meet is charming and provides much of the comedy of the book as he learns about the world.
It is quite a dark concept, about how capitalism would profit from a lack of children. The book has quite a creepy tone thanks to the dangerous allure of a brand new sweetshop and all the odd happenings around it. However, there is so much hope in the book, as it's ultimately a tale of friendship and sticking up for your community.
November 5, 2023
I did not know what to expect when I started, I was not disappointed.
Set in an alternative past where children are rented to families.
Florizel is rented and must hide her intelligence, when she stumbles across and befriends a sack-boy - created for families that can't afford a "real" child. Burble and Florizel have an interesting relationship which you see grown, Burble knows more than he shares about the strange new stores that appear in the village.
These stores sell daydreams, but what happens when adults get a taste of their daydreams? How will this impact the village and how exactly are the daydreams made?
Set in an alternative past where children are rented to families.
Florizel is rented and must hide her intelligence, when she stumbles across and befriends a sack-boy - created for families that can't afford a "real" child. Burble and Florizel have an interesting relationship which you see grown, Burble knows more than he shares about the strange new stores that appear in the village.
These stores sell daydreams, but what happens when adults get a taste of their daydreams? How will this impact the village and how exactly are the daydreams made?
June 21, 2023
It’s my turn on The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams BlogTour. (16 June) I think I agreed to be part of this in a mad moment as I don’t often read for review children or young people’s books but this sounded like a really good plot and I couldn’t resist.
Florizel lives in Witchetty Hollow with Grammer Oakenshaw on her small farm growing vegetables. Florizel is rented by Grammer Oakenshaw from Storkhouse Services. The amount paid in rent is determined by how well Florizel does at school. Grammer Oakenshaw can’t afford a big rent so Florizel, even though she is very bright, fails at school to ensure she stays in the place she loves. Recollection by Storkhouse Services would be awful.
On her return home from collecting some items for Grammer Oakenshaw Florizel encounters a scene in which the Gobbelino’s – Grendel, Griselda and Grimalkin – coach has broken down. She takes cover and overhears some of what they talk about. She also sees something escape from a box being pulled by the coach. She also sees a strange creature called Skudler who helps fix the coach and enables it to be on its way.
Worried about what she has heard but not wanting to bother Grammer Oakenshaw she goes home, has dinner and goes to bed. The next morning on her way to school Florizel meets a boy made of sack – Burble. It was Burble who escaped from the Gobbelino’s the previous evening. He takes a shine to Florizel and wants to go to school with her. Not quite sure if it will be alright but since Burble has attached himself to her, almost or indeed literally, Florizel sees no other option than to take him with her.
With what she overheard, what Burble tells her and what begins to happen in Witchetty Hollow. Florizel realises her concerns are justified. And as things get odder or, as Burble says the strangeness takes over she sees that something must be done!
Now with a sack baby factory, a delicatessen and a pawnshop the trio of Gobbelinos are taking over Witchetty Hollow. Children are being recollected, cheaper sack babies are becoming more popular, the adults are becoming addicted to the sweet treats of the daydream delicatessen and life in Witchetty Hollow is becoming increasingly grim. Burble explains that once sack children reach 10 years they are recycled. Adults are pawning their goods. Adults are going missing. Florizel feels she must act to prevent things getting worse.
Then Burble, who has become as family to Florizel and Grammer Oakenshaw, goes missing. There is nothing for it but that Florizel goes off to find him and then, hopefully together, bring down the Gobbelinos.
There are wonderfully descriptive scenes throughout the book in the school, the daydream delicatessen, the pawnshop and the factory from Victoria Williamson many of them brought to life by James Brown’s wonderful graphics all in black and white which go so well with the darker themes of the story. The level of tension, the darkness of the story is very well balanced for the target reader, middle grade students.
There is also humour to balance with the scarier parts. The book is well written, the characters are beautifully drawn both in words and pictures. Victoria Williamson has a very vivid imagination with which she brings an amazingly detailed and believable story to the reader who, regardless of age, will I believe be totally engrossed and engaged in this terrific story. With something of the traditional fairytale, more Grimms than Hans Anderson, and the more modernistic offerings from Tim Burton this is a truly magical storytelling that must surely be a hit with Middle grade audiences.
I was captivated by and very much enjoyed this book. I’m so glad that I said yes to this blog tour. It is a wonderful read for the entertainment value but it also brings up plenty of things that could spark discussion in a classroom or book club from things like ‘what is friendship?’ to how we behave, how we treat each other, from ‘what makes a family?’ to how we can help and support each other and so much more.
A book well worth having on school library, indeed all libraries and home bookshelves.
Book: Thanks to Dave at TheWriteReads for the invite to the Ultimate Tour in association with Tiny Tree Books and for providing an eARC via NetGalley for the purposes of reading and reviewing.
Florizel lives in Witchetty Hollow with Grammer Oakenshaw on her small farm growing vegetables. Florizel is rented by Grammer Oakenshaw from Storkhouse Services. The amount paid in rent is determined by how well Florizel does at school. Grammer Oakenshaw can’t afford a big rent so Florizel, even though she is very bright, fails at school to ensure she stays in the place she loves. Recollection by Storkhouse Services would be awful.
On her return home from collecting some items for Grammer Oakenshaw Florizel encounters a scene in which the Gobbelino’s – Grendel, Griselda and Grimalkin – coach has broken down. She takes cover and overhears some of what they talk about. She also sees something escape from a box being pulled by the coach. She also sees a strange creature called Skudler who helps fix the coach and enables it to be on its way.
Worried about what she has heard but not wanting to bother Grammer Oakenshaw she goes home, has dinner and goes to bed. The next morning on her way to school Florizel meets a boy made of sack – Burble. It was Burble who escaped from the Gobbelino’s the previous evening. He takes a shine to Florizel and wants to go to school with her. Not quite sure if it will be alright but since Burble has attached himself to her, almost or indeed literally, Florizel sees no other option than to take him with her.
With what she overheard, what Burble tells her and what begins to happen in Witchetty Hollow. Florizel realises her concerns are justified. And as things get odder or, as Burble says the strangeness takes over she sees that something must be done!
Now with a sack baby factory, a delicatessen and a pawnshop the trio of Gobbelinos are taking over Witchetty Hollow. Children are being recollected, cheaper sack babies are becoming more popular, the adults are becoming addicted to the sweet treats of the daydream delicatessen and life in Witchetty Hollow is becoming increasingly grim. Burble explains that once sack children reach 10 years they are recycled. Adults are pawning their goods. Adults are going missing. Florizel feels she must act to prevent things getting worse.
Then Burble, who has become as family to Florizel and Grammer Oakenshaw, goes missing. There is nothing for it but that Florizel goes off to find him and then, hopefully together, bring down the Gobbelinos.
There are wonderfully descriptive scenes throughout the book in the school, the daydream delicatessen, the pawnshop and the factory from Victoria Williamson many of them brought to life by James Brown’s wonderful graphics all in black and white which go so well with the darker themes of the story. The level of tension, the darkness of the story is very well balanced for the target reader, middle grade students.
There is also humour to balance with the scarier parts. The book is well written, the characters are beautifully drawn both in words and pictures. Victoria Williamson has a very vivid imagination with which she brings an amazingly detailed and believable story to the reader who, regardless of age, will I believe be totally engrossed and engaged in this terrific story. With something of the traditional fairytale, more Grimms than Hans Anderson, and the more modernistic offerings from Tim Burton this is a truly magical storytelling that must surely be a hit with Middle grade audiences.
I was captivated by and very much enjoyed this book. I’m so glad that I said yes to this blog tour. It is a wonderful read for the entertainment value but it also brings up plenty of things that could spark discussion in a classroom or book club from things like ‘what is friendship?’ to how we behave, how we treat each other, from ‘what makes a family?’ to how we can help and support each other and so much more.
A book well worth having on school library, indeed all libraries and home bookshelves.
Book: Thanks to Dave at TheWriteReads for the invite to the Ultimate Tour in association with Tiny Tree Books and for providing an eARC via NetGalley for the purposes of reading and reviewing.
December 30, 2024
Wow, what a wonderful, exciting and imaginative story! Eleven year old Florizel is on her way home through the woods after picking some mushrooms when she hears something large approaching. Worried it’s the Child Collector’s come to take her or another child away from Witchetty Hollow and back to the orphanage she hides. But it’s not the child collectors but another horse drawn carriage belonging to the Gobbelino family. Hearing nothing but bad things about them Florizel wonders what the family are doing in Witchetty Hollow, and what did she see spot slipping away into the woods from the back of their carriage?
This is such a brilliant and creepy story! Florizel lives in Witchetty Hollow, a small town and world where, with none of the adults able to have their own kids, all of the children in the town come Storkhouse Services and are rented out to the people who can afford them. I love this unique and imaginative world where Floriel, who lives with her Gammer Oakenshaw, has to pretend to be dumb at school in order to keep the cost of renting her down. On her way to school the following morning she comes across a strange sack boy called Burble, who is such a brilliant character. I love Burble, he’s so unique and funny and I love how silly and funny some of the scenes with him are, especially when he makes mistakes in school and when his stuffing keeps moving about making him lose shape.
As the story continues we learn more about the strange Gobbelino family, the businesses they are setting up in the town, and the very creepy creatures they seem to employ. I love how creepy this world is and the creepiness of the guisers, especially when we see their masks come off. I had an instantly creepy sense like I did with Coraline when I read Folrizel’s first encounter with these creatures and how eerie they look and act. As the story moves on we discover that something very dark is happening in Witchetty Hollow, with the adults in the town becoming more and more obsessed with the new Daydream Delicatessen and the many sweet treats sold there, and the continuing disappearances of the children in the town as they are reclaimed by Storkhouse Services and seemingly replaced by some other new sack-children instead.
I don’t want to give away what happens as it’s such a brilliant story, and all the more surprising and shocking if you read it for yourself, but the story has such a brilliant and creepy vibe to it but it also has a lot of good humour in parts too, especially with Burble’s character and his sometimes funny speech and funny nature in everything he does. The story builds up to a brilliant ending and I love how heart-warming the final chapter is. There are a few illustrations throughout the story which help show what’s happening and I love how detailed and brilliant these illustrations are. In black, white and grey they show the expressions and eerie vibe in the scenes well and I love the chapter headers too.
Overall I have really enjoyed this book so much. In fact it was so good I just couldn’t put it down and finished it in a few short hours. The story has the perfect creepy Halloweeny vibe to it as well as having some good humour and a lovely and heart-warming ending too. It’s the perfect story to read for anyone wanting to read a children’s book with a different and eerie feel to it. It’s such an imaginative world with everything that is happening, the sack children, and even the way everyone speaks, like the different numbers (my favourite is forky instead of forty). It’s just so brilliant and I instantly want to read it again after just finishing it! I would recommend this book to everyone regardless of your age. If you love a fantasy book which is a bit creepy, also funny, and ultimately has such a satisfying and happy ending, then you’ll love this!
-Thanks to The Write Reads for a free copy.
This is such a brilliant and creepy story! Florizel lives in Witchetty Hollow, a small town and world where, with none of the adults able to have their own kids, all of the children in the town come Storkhouse Services and are rented out to the people who can afford them. I love this unique and imaginative world where Floriel, who lives with her Gammer Oakenshaw, has to pretend to be dumb at school in order to keep the cost of renting her down. On her way to school the following morning she comes across a strange sack boy called Burble, who is such a brilliant character. I love Burble, he’s so unique and funny and I love how silly and funny some of the scenes with him are, especially when he makes mistakes in school and when his stuffing keeps moving about making him lose shape.
As the story continues we learn more about the strange Gobbelino family, the businesses they are setting up in the town, and the very creepy creatures they seem to employ. I love how creepy this world is and the creepiness of the guisers, especially when we see their masks come off. I had an instantly creepy sense like I did with Coraline when I read Folrizel’s first encounter with these creatures and how eerie they look and act. As the story moves on we discover that something very dark is happening in Witchetty Hollow, with the adults in the town becoming more and more obsessed with the new Daydream Delicatessen and the many sweet treats sold there, and the continuing disappearances of the children in the town as they are reclaimed by Storkhouse Services and seemingly replaced by some other new sack-children instead.
I don’t want to give away what happens as it’s such a brilliant story, and all the more surprising and shocking if you read it for yourself, but the story has such a brilliant and creepy vibe to it but it also has a lot of good humour in parts too, especially with Burble’s character and his sometimes funny speech and funny nature in everything he does. The story builds up to a brilliant ending and I love how heart-warming the final chapter is. There are a few illustrations throughout the story which help show what’s happening and I love how detailed and brilliant these illustrations are. In black, white and grey they show the expressions and eerie vibe in the scenes well and I love the chapter headers too.
Overall I have really enjoyed this book so much. In fact it was so good I just couldn’t put it down and finished it in a few short hours. The story has the perfect creepy Halloweeny vibe to it as well as having some good humour and a lovely and heart-warming ending too. It’s the perfect story to read for anyone wanting to read a children’s book with a different and eerie feel to it. It’s such an imaginative world with everything that is happening, the sack children, and even the way everyone speaks, like the different numbers (my favourite is forky instead of forty). It’s just so brilliant and I instantly want to read it again after just finishing it! I would recommend this book to everyone regardless of your age. If you love a fantasy book which is a bit creepy, also funny, and ultimately has such a satisfying and happy ending, then you’ll love this!
-Thanks to The Write Reads for a free copy.
August 26, 2024
11 year old Florizel lives in Witchetty Hollow, a place where children are rented from Storkhouse Services, for only the very wealthy have children. Moreover, the monthly rent is based on how well the child does in school. For Florizel, it’s a constant battle between trying to keep her test results low (so Gammer Oakenshaw can afford to keep her) and wanting to prove herself to her classmates who jeer her for being stupid. When the Gobbolino Corporation, pioneers of the sack-baby factories (a cheaper alternative to renting real children), arrives in Witchetty Hollow to open a Daydream Delicatessen, things get even worse. Produce from the delicatessen is both irresistible and expensive. Soon the people of Witchetty Hollow are pawning their belongings to pay for this addiction, and children are being re-possessed by Storkhouse Services. Florizel, and her new friend sack-boy Burble, have to find a way to save the people of Witchetty Hollow from the evil Gobbolinos before it’s too late.
This is such a fun, imaginative, and exciting story. Florizel is a great character, and Burble, the poor sack-boy in danger of being recycled, is so endearing (apart from his habit of eating books, which I am definitely not fond of!!). I loved the craziness and absolute bizarreness of the world. Of course there is a dark edge: children are only rented by parents and can be taken away at any time. I liked how the story touched upon children being treated as a commodity, and at the mercy of greedy corporations. The Gobbolinos excel at that, creating an appetite (at a price) which it then can satisfy (also at a price). Questions about a need to face reality rather than believe in a fantasy, and our willingness to sacrifice things of value for short-term pleasure were also raised. Younger readers however will probably focus more on the danger, the characters and the truly loathsome Gobbolino family.
Having read War of the Wind, Norah’s Ark, Feast of Ashes, The Whistlers In the Dark, Hag Storm, and the adult horror novella The Haunting Scent of Poppies, my expectations were pretty high. I was not disappointed. Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat by Ursela Moray WIllians was one of my favourite books when I was very young, and I was a little sad Gobbolino was the name of the villains! That aside, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams is a superb, entertaining and wonderful read. If you haven’t yet read Victoria Williamson, I highly recommend you give one of her books a read.
This is such a fun, imaginative, and exciting story. Florizel is a great character, and Burble, the poor sack-boy in danger of being recycled, is so endearing (apart from his habit of eating books, which I am definitely not fond of!!). I loved the craziness and absolute bizarreness of the world. Of course there is a dark edge: children are only rented by parents and can be taken away at any time. I liked how the story touched upon children being treated as a commodity, and at the mercy of greedy corporations. The Gobbolinos excel at that, creating an appetite (at a price) which it then can satisfy (also at a price). Questions about a need to face reality rather than believe in a fantasy, and our willingness to sacrifice things of value for short-term pleasure were also raised. Younger readers however will probably focus more on the danger, the characters and the truly loathsome Gobbolino family.
Having read War of the Wind, Norah’s Ark, Feast of Ashes, The Whistlers In the Dark, Hag Storm, and the adult horror novella The Haunting Scent of Poppies, my expectations were pretty high. I was not disappointed. Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat by Ursela Moray WIllians was one of my favourite books when I was very young, and I was a little sad Gobbolino was the name of the villains! That aside, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams is a superb, entertaining and wonderful read. If you haven’t yet read Victoria Williamson, I highly recommend you give one of her books a read.
June 21, 2023
This is a wonderfully creepy story aimed at the late junior, early secondary age group. The story centres in
Witchetty Hollow around the main character Florizel, along with the sack boy Burble and they have the
challenge of solving the mystery of the strange happenings in their village after the appearance of the new
daydream delicatessen.
The story is beautifully written in such a way as to keep children hooked on finding out what is going to
happen next. The pace of the story and the language used is totally appropriate for this age group and is
interspersed throughout by wonderful artwork from James Brown, which brings the world to life in the
reader's imagination.
I loved the use of "Comic" language, which will amuse readers of all ages, along with typical childish humour injections such as Frog Spawn sandwiches, which took me back to my school days of tadpole pudding; tapioca to the adults amongst you, and toe nail pie; Bakewell Tart with toasted almonds !!!!!
I also have to include this wonderful quote that had me rolling around laughing; " Gobbolino Corporation , suppliers of fine quality sack babies since twixteen twiddley- two" as my children always have a laugh at the silly nonsense words I make up .
This is a 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read for anyone who loves reading creepy stories with laugh out loud humour and Burble is such an endearing little character.
Victoria's books are fortuitous in that as well as being ideal for the age group they are written for they also make excellent reading material for all teens and adults for whom English is not their first language.
The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams will appeal to fans of Coraline by Neil Gaimen
Witchetty Hollow around the main character Florizel, along with the sack boy Burble and they have the
challenge of solving the mystery of the strange happenings in their village after the appearance of the new
daydream delicatessen.
The story is beautifully written in such a way as to keep children hooked on finding out what is going to
happen next. The pace of the story and the language used is totally appropriate for this age group and is
interspersed throughout by wonderful artwork from James Brown, which brings the world to life in the
reader's imagination.
I loved the use of "Comic" language, which will amuse readers of all ages, along with typical childish humour injections such as Frog Spawn sandwiches, which took me back to my school days of tadpole pudding; tapioca to the adults amongst you, and toe nail pie; Bakewell Tart with toasted almonds !!!!!
I also have to include this wonderful quote that had me rolling around laughing; " Gobbolino Corporation , suppliers of fine quality sack babies since twixteen twiddley- two" as my children always have a laugh at the silly nonsense words I make up .
This is a 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read for anyone who loves reading creepy stories with laugh out loud humour and Burble is such an endearing little character.
Victoria's books are fortuitous in that as well as being ideal for the age group they are written for they also make excellent reading material for all teens and adults for whom English is not their first language.
The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams will appeal to fans of Coraline by Neil Gaimen
June 24, 2023
In the opening scene we find eleven year old Florizel out in the woods collecting mushrooms when she is startled by a crash. What happens next is the start of a big changes for the town of Witchetty Hollow and and adventure for Florizel! The story was really easy to get into and I flew through the 214 pages. Flori is a fabulous main character – serious, determined, kind and incredibly brave. She loves her Gammer Oakenshield but resents having to purposely do badly at school in order to keep her rent down. Hang on, rent? Oh yes, all the children are rented from Storkhouse Services since the chemicals in the water rendered most people unable to have children. The rich are lucky enough to but their children, but the poor often have them reclaimed and the poorest still must make do with sack babies…oh, what’s a sack baby? You had better read the book and find out! Florizel makes friends with one though, a sack boy called Burble, who has escaped recycling. Burble is such a joyous character and represents that wonderful innocence that is so quickly washed away in many children. Flori and Burble’s friendship isn’t always plain sailing but it drives the story and adds a lot of humour into the book. Despite being short there’s a lot of detail in the book – it’s fast paced and some bits could have been fleshed out more, but it works. There’s lots of lovely silliness in the book – playful language, sticky situations and delightful delicacies (frogspawn sandwiches anyone?), but there’s a deeper, darker undertone. There are themes of greed, environmental damage and pollution, societal breakdown, poverty and capitalism as well as inclusivity, equality and diversity and kindness. The idea behind the Gobbelino Corporation’s endeavours is cleverly thought out. There are some slightly gruesome bits but they are written in a very clever, fun way.I think this book works on many levels – on the face of it it’s a fun adventure story with a positive ending, a plucky young heroine, friendship, found family and baddies who get their comeuppance. It’s easy to read and will undoubtedly delight most readers. It can also be read at a deeper level to reveal the themes and underlying messages and as such I think it would suit a fairly wide age range. I feel it would make a great class reading book and I can also see it working really well as a film. It’s really well written and the illustrations perfectly capture the characters and the setting. I will be buying a physical copy to read with my daughter and I highly recommend it. I’d love to read more from the author. Please read her bio below to find out about the amazing work she does and the charity she supports.
October 10, 2023
The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams is a wonderful middle-grade fantasy. it is rather dark in places, but at the same time, it’s full of imagination, hopefulness, and humour.
I loved the unique concept where children are rented out to those who have longed to have a family. Those who can’t afford to rent real children can rent ‘sack babies’, which are a fraction of the price to rent. Sack babies are just as they sound, little sacks of hay that come to life and behave like a real child. however, sack babies are only allowed to be rented until their 10th birthday, when they have to be returned to be recycled. This is a concept I have never come across in any books, and I thought it was great.
The pawnshop of Stolen Dreams is full of great characters. some unlikeable some that I adored from the very start right through to the end. The two main characters, Florzel and Burble, were great. Burbles was my favourite. He is so sweet and charming, even though his a sack baby. I also absolutely adored watching the friendship between Florizel and Burble Grow, and the ending was very satisfying.
As I mentioned, this is a middle grade, but some darker themes are hidden within the story, which I think older readers will pick up on more rather than the target audience.
I also must mention the fab illustrations that are scattered throughout the book. they are beautifully detailed and capture the story well, and they definitely help to visualise the characters and bring them to life.
This was a fab read, and although this is the first book from Victoria that I’ve read, it definitely won’t be the last.
I loved the unique concept where children are rented out to those who have longed to have a family. Those who can’t afford to rent real children can rent ‘sack babies’, which are a fraction of the price to rent. Sack babies are just as they sound, little sacks of hay that come to life and behave like a real child. however, sack babies are only allowed to be rented until their 10th birthday, when they have to be returned to be recycled. This is a concept I have never come across in any books, and I thought it was great.
The pawnshop of Stolen Dreams is full of great characters. some unlikeable some that I adored from the very start right through to the end. The two main characters, Florzel and Burble, were great. Burbles was my favourite. He is so sweet and charming, even though his a sack baby. I also absolutely adored watching the friendship between Florizel and Burble Grow, and the ending was very satisfying.
As I mentioned, this is a middle grade, but some darker themes are hidden within the story, which I think older readers will pick up on more rather than the target audience.
I also must mention the fab illustrations that are scattered throughout the book. they are beautifully detailed and capture the story well, and they definitely help to visualise the characters and bring them to life.
This was a fab read, and although this is the first book from Victoria that I’ve read, it definitely won’t be the last.
May 20, 2023
What a wonderfully dark little fairytale world! quirky and spooky too. It has flavours of Roald Dahl, the brothers Grimm, and animations by Tim Burton. It’s full of fascinating images and surprises.
Children around 10 to 13 will just love Witchetty hollow and the friendship pairing of brave put-upon, clever Florizel and poor straw-brained Burble the hilarious sack-boy, as they join forces against the nefarious activities of the Gobolino family who have set up a magical shop to mesmerise the villagers.
I loved the village of Witchetty Hollow right from the beginning. Everything is full of character and mystery. It’s funny too (I laughed out loud at a couple of bits). There are some marvellous (and slightly disturbing) allegorical depictions of cynical market monopoly industries and the effects of their relentless greed on everyday citizens, and yet the allegories blend enjoyably into the fabric of the story without ever becoming heavy. It’s done in such a way that even very young children would understand the development of the plot, which gets increasingly mysterious and gathers in pace towards a breathtaking and adventurous finale.
The sack-child factory is pure genius. I love the properly wicked (and also hilarious) Gobolinos, and I loved Burble. some really cool illustrations inside too, they get the character of the story just right.
The pawnshop of Stolen Dreams is really unique. It just about defies description!
Brilliant!
Children around 10 to 13 will just love Witchetty hollow and the friendship pairing of brave put-upon, clever Florizel and poor straw-brained Burble the hilarious sack-boy, as they join forces against the nefarious activities of the Gobolino family who have set up a magical shop to mesmerise the villagers.
I loved the village of Witchetty Hollow right from the beginning. Everything is full of character and mystery. It’s funny too (I laughed out loud at a couple of bits). There are some marvellous (and slightly disturbing) allegorical depictions of cynical market monopoly industries and the effects of their relentless greed on everyday citizens, and yet the allegories blend enjoyably into the fabric of the story without ever becoming heavy. It’s done in such a way that even very young children would understand the development of the plot, which gets increasingly mysterious and gathers in pace towards a breathtaking and adventurous finale.
The sack-child factory is pure genius. I love the properly wicked (and also hilarious) Gobolinos, and I loved Burble. some really cool illustrations inside too, they get the character of the story just right.
The pawnshop of Stolen Dreams is really unique. It just about defies description!
Brilliant!
June 20, 2023
Victoria Williamson has created a unique fantasy world that is way beyond imagination and is simply a delight to read about. It really stretches the imagination (in such a good way) and provides a perfect backdrop for a dark and thought provoking middle grade novel. I was hooked from the opening chapter and I cannot wait to share this in school and with my daughter.
Florizel lives in a world where children are no longer born. They are rented and that is how she ends up in Witchetty Hollow. On a wonder, she comes across a sack baby called Burble who has escaped from the notorious Gobbelino family.
The friendship between Florizel and Burble is just wonderful to read about and really teaches about acceptance, differences and looking out for each other. (The teacher in me is always looking out for ways to teach these things). I enjoyed how their friendship developed as they set out to figure out what the Gobbelino’s were up to.
The whole story was very fairy tale esq. and as all good fairy tales - it comes with baddies. The Gobbelino family are awful (I love to hate characters) and their treatment of people and classism is such a parallel with today’s society and current situations.
It’s a short read with a darker fairy tale vibe but it’s jam packed full of all things good and evil and it’s such an entertaining and refreshing read. I had an absolute blast reading this book and I highly recommend it - whatever your age!!
Florizel lives in a world where children are no longer born. They are rented and that is how she ends up in Witchetty Hollow. On a wonder, she comes across a sack baby called Burble who has escaped from the notorious Gobbelino family.
The friendship between Florizel and Burble is just wonderful to read about and really teaches about acceptance, differences and looking out for each other. (The teacher in me is always looking out for ways to teach these things). I enjoyed how their friendship developed as they set out to figure out what the Gobbelino’s were up to.
The whole story was very fairy tale esq. and as all good fairy tales - it comes with baddies. The Gobbelino family are awful (I love to hate characters) and their treatment of people and classism is such a parallel with today’s society and current situations.
It’s a short read with a darker fairy tale vibe but it’s jam packed full of all things good and evil and it’s such an entertaining and refreshing read. I had an absolute blast reading this book and I highly recommend it - whatever your age!!
June 18, 2023
First off, this is an absolutely GORGEOUS book — just look at that cover! It comes with delightful illustrations all throughout too, done by James Brown.
It's a quick but engaging read, typical of middle grade novels, and I enjoyed it despite not actually being the target demographic. (Then again, I'm a kid at heart!) One of the most interesting aspects for me was how, in their world, having kids was so difficult you had to RENT kids. I honestly didn't know what to expect. At times it felt like a whimsical Grimm fairy tale. But I was pleasantly surprised by how everything turned out! The characters were really delightful too, especially Florizel and Burble. My only complaint, to be honest, is that I now want more, so I will be checking out Victoria's other works after this!
It's a quick but engaging read, typical of middle grade novels, and I enjoyed it despite not actually being the target demographic. (Then again, I'm a kid at heart!) One of the most interesting aspects for me was how, in their world, having kids was so difficult you had to RENT kids. I honestly didn't know what to expect. At times it felt like a whimsical Grimm fairy tale. But I was pleasantly surprised by how everything turned out! The characters were really delightful too, especially Florizel and Burble. My only complaint, to be honest, is that I now want more, so I will be checking out Victoria's other works after this!
March 7, 2023
This book is a fantastic treasure-chest of imagination, from the character names to the brilliantly linked-together plot, and Victoria Williamson somehow manages to make it all quite dark and a little bit spooky while at the same time loading her text with laughs and bonkers fun. It should definitely appeal to anyone who's enjoyed Amy Sparkes' House at the Edge of Magic series - something in its zaniness recalled Sparkes' work to me - and anyone who enjoys a crackingly fast-paced story which will leave you breathless with delight.
Thanks to the author and her publisher for a proof copy of this book.
Thanks to the author and her publisher for a proof copy of this book.
May 22, 2023
Raced through The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams this weekend
What a delightfully twisted, creepy world the author has created.
Full of wonderful language, great characters (I love Burble!), baddies and fab illustrations.
Highly recommended
What a delightfully twisted, creepy world the author has created.
Full of wonderful language, great characters (I love Burble!), baddies and fab illustrations.
Highly recommended
June 4, 2023
Perfect spooky reading for young fans of Mark Stay's Woodville witches series and Nightmare before Christmas. Deliciously dark, creepy things are goings on related to newcomers in the vilage. Great world building and highly imaginative it was a joy to read even as an adult
June 13, 2023
What a great new middle grade!
Something is very much amiss in the strange little village of Witchetty Hollow and its up to eleven-year-old Florizel to find out what!!
This is such a fun book. You’ll fly through it in no time all as you follow Florizel along as she snoops about and investigates what on earth is happening to the people in Witchetty Hollow and what the evil Gobbelino family are up to!
One thing is for sure - the mysterious pawnshop is at the heart of the mystery!
The book is so much fun! The author has done a wonderful job weaving together the characters and the village and its altogether just a lovely heart-warming middle grade that will put a smile on your face and leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy!
5 stars!!
Thank you write reads, tiny tree and most of all the author Victoria Williamson for letting me know about this one!
Something is very much amiss in the strange little village of Witchetty Hollow and its up to eleven-year-old Florizel to find out what!!
This is such a fun book. You’ll fly through it in no time all as you follow Florizel along as she snoops about and investigates what on earth is happening to the people in Witchetty Hollow and what the evil Gobbelino family are up to!
One thing is for sure - the mysterious pawnshop is at the heart of the mystery!
The book is so much fun! The author has done a wonderful job weaving together the characters and the village and its altogether just a lovely heart-warming middle grade that will put a smile on your face and leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy!
5 stars!!
Thank you write reads, tiny tree and most of all the author Victoria Williamson for letting me know about this one!
June 17, 2023
3.5/5
June 21, 2023
I loved it! My full review will follow shortly.Life is a bit hectic right now. Thank you write reads for my copy!
June 16, 2023
Read the complete non-spoiler review of the book in my blog : https://bookbugworld.com/the-pawnshop...
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