Böcker av Peter Wrench

'The Night Of The Round Stable' takes classic elements of children's literature and brings them bang up to date. Outraged by plans to build a factory farm on the edge of their town, Johanna and her brother Harry set out to stymie the junk food magnate behind it. They meet the magical but overconfident Mr Phigg, who has his own reasons for helping them - and manage to paper over the cracks in some of his dodgier schemes. Part of the story takes place in the Greyworld we know, part in a more colourful parallel reality. There are hidden doorways, amazing inventions and talking animals, set against an unmistakeably contemporary background of animal welfare, protest marches and corruption - with both thrills and fun as events in the two worlds gradually converge.

The second book in the Mr Phigg series, for children from 8 up - and for grown-ups too. Odd things start happening to Johanna and her brother Harry when their basement floods for no reason. Then the children visit Mrs Cuthbert, an old family friend who is in a nursing home, frail and forgetful, and resolve to help her get out again. They are missing the magical Mr Phigg, who in an earlier adventure had introduced them to friends like the Shadowflock and inventor Dr Solomon. When Mr Phigg returns they go to visit his Great Uncle Bron, who is also forgetting things. A strange device from the Doctor triggers memories of Bron's old love, Monica Morphet, who left suddenly many years ago. Bron has dreamt about her asking for his help. He believes Monica was a Tale-Spinner - one of seven shape-shifting sisters who weave memories into legends. Mr Phigg is sceptical, but agrees to try to find out more. As the children and their friends hunt for Tale-Spinners and try to help Mrs Cuthbert, an interlinked story unfolds - in the Greyworld we know and in Mr Phigg's parallel reality. There are magic doorways, talking animals and lashings of derring-do.