THE ICKABOG: A warm and witty fairy-tale adventure to entertain the whole family

New York, NY 10010, U.S.A.: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2020. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. As New/Near Fine. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. Once upon a time there was a tiny kingdom called Cornucopia, as rich in happiness as it was in gold, and famous for its food. From the delicate cream cheeses of Kurdsburg to the Hopes-of-Heaven pastries of Chouxville, each was so delicious that people wept with joy as they ate them. But even in this happy kingdom, a monster lurks. Legend tells of a fearsome creature living far to the north in the Marshlands... the Ickabog. Some say it breathes fire, spits poison, and roars through the mist as it carries off wayward sheep and children alike. Some say it's just a myth... And when that myth takes on a life of its own, casting a shadow over the kingdom, two children - best friends Bert and Daisy - embark on a great adventure to untangle the truth and find out where the real monster lies, bringing hope and happiness to Cornucopia once more. Features full-colour illustrations by the young winners of The Ickabog competition.As new, first edition, first printing, in near-fine (moderate front flap corner crease, else fine) mylar-protected dust jacket. [Not remainder-marked or price-clipped] What if the Rapture happened and you got left behind? Or what if it wasn't the Rapture at all, but something murkier, a burst of mysterious, apparently random disappearances that shattered the world in a single moment, dividing history into Before and After, leaving no one unscathed? How would you rebuild your life in the wake of such a devastating event? This is the question confronting the bewildered citizens of Mapleton, a formerly comfortable suburban community that lost over a hundred people in the Sudden Departure. Kevin Garvey, the new mayor, wants to speed up the healing process, to bring a sense of renewed hope and purpose to his traumatized neighbors, even as his own family falls apart. His wife, Laurie, has left him to enlist in the Guilty Remnant, a homegrown cult whose members take a vow of silence but haunt the streets of town as 'living reminders' of God's judgment. His son, Tom, is gone, too, dropping out of college to follow a sketchy prophet by the name of Holy Wayne. Only his teenaged daughter, Jill, remains, and she's definitely not the sweet A student she used to be. Author previously of five novels, THE ABSTINENENCE TEACHER, LITTLE CHILDREN, JOE COLLEGE, ELECTION, THE WISHBONES, and BAD HAIRCUT: Stories of the Seventies. Basis of the television series starring Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Chris Zylka, Carrie Coon, Liv Tylerand Ann Dowd. As new, first edition, first printing, as new, mylar-protected dust jacket. [Not remainder-marked or price-clipped] L172