The Night Gardener : a scary story

This much-anticipated follow-up to Jonathan Auxiers exceptional debut, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes , is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, its also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling. The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. With Auxiers exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making. Praise for The Night Gardener **STARRED REVIEW S "Lots of creepiness, memorable characters, a worthy message, Auxiers atmospheric drawings and touches of humor amid the horror make this cautionary tale one readers will not soon forget." -- Kirkus Reviews , starred review "Storytelling and the secret desires of the heart wind together in this atmospheric novel that doubles as a ghost tale." -- School Library Journal , starred review "Auxier achieves an ideal mix of adventure and horror, offering all of it in elegant, atmospheric language that forces the reader to slow down a bit and revel in both the high-quality plot and the storytelling itself." -- Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books "All proper scary stories require a spooky, menacing atmosphere, and Auxier (Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes) delivers the goods with his precise descriptions of the gothic setting and teasing hints of mystery and suspense." -- The Horn Book Magazine Summer 2014 Kids' Indie Next List ** From School Library Journal Gr 46Storytelling and the secret desires of the heart wind together in this atmospheric novel that doubles as a ghost tale. Irish immigrants to England, Molly and Kip make their way to the Windsor house in search of employment. The great house stands in the shadow of a menacing tree, which locals speak of only in fearful whispers. Despite her young age and the warnings of a local storyteller, Molly uses the power of her own words to secure work, but soon realizes that all is not right in the house. Constance, Bertrand, Penny, and Alistair Windsor each struggle with personal demons, and strange footprints appear at night. A malevolent spirit, the Night Gardener, haunts the estate, dooming its inhabitants with foul dreams while the tree grants wishes to entrap the recipients. Molly and Kip must face their own dark secrets to release the Gardener's hold and end his evil enchantments. Auxier gives readers a spooky story with depth and dimension. Molly's whimsical tales illustrate life's essential lessons even as they entertain. As the characters face the unhealthy pull of the tree's allurements, they grow and change, revealing unexpected personality traits. Storytelling as a force to cope with life's challenges is subtly expressed and adds complexity to the fast-paced plot. Readers of Mary Downing Hahn or Peg Kehret's ghost novels will connect with the supernatural elements and the independent child protagonists of Auxier's tale of things that go bump in the night.Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT About the Author Jonathan Auxier teaches creative writing and childrens literature. He is the author of Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes , which the Wall Street Journal called as delightful a magical story as readers ages 914 will hope to find. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and daughter. You can visit him online at thescop.com. A New York Times bestseller, The Night Gardener is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, it's also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling.The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. With Auxier's exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.Praise for The Night GardenerSTARRED REVIEWS'Lots of creepiness, memorable characters, a worthy message, Auxier's atmospheric drawings and touches of humor amid the horror make this cautionary tale one readers will not soon forget.'--Kirkus Reviews, starred review'Storytelling and the secret desires of the heart wind together in this atmospheric novel that doubles as a ghost tale.'--School Library Journal, starred review'Auxier achieves an ideal mix of adventure and horror, offering all of it in elegant, atmospheric language that forces the reader to slow down a bit and revel in both the high-quality plot and the storytelling itself.'--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books'All proper scary stories require a spooky, menacing atmosphere, and Auxier (Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes) delivers the goods with his precise descriptions of the gothic setting and teasing hints of mystery and suspense.'--The Horn Book MagazineSummer 2014 Kids'Indie Next List pt. 1. Arrivals. Storyteller at the crossroads The silent trees Miss Penny The help Portrait of a lady The figure in the fog Pit and pockets Master of the house The room at the top of the stairs Footsteps Chamber pots The stationery box A visit from Fig and Stubbs Catch as catch can The other thing The garden in the woods The night man A rude awakening Roots Behind the door pt. 2. Pursuits. Special delivery Sweets Doctor Crouch Cold hands, warm heart The pallor Horse apples Ichor Asleep To market A story bought, a story sold The legend of the Night Gardener Fruit Collapse Leeches and lizards A spirited debate Traps Camera obscura Shears The broken bough pt. 3. Departures. The last story Alone in the dark Return to the Sourwoods Body of evidence Flight Unwelcome guests Trust Comeuppance Hide-and-go-seek Lamp oil Moonlight The hero and the damsel Courage The conflagration Ashes What happened next Storyteller at the crossroads. Irish orphans Molly, 14, and Kip, 10, travel to England to work as servants in a crumbling manor house where nothing is quite what it seems, and soon the siblings are confronted by a mysterious stranger and the secrets of the cursed house. By the author of Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes. Irish orphans Molly, fourteen, and Kip, ten, travel to England to work as servants in a crumbling manor house where nothing is quite what it seems to be, and soon the siblings are confronted by a mysterious stranger and secrets of the cursed house.