Classic Children's Literature - Preparation for Common Entrance

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As a child, I remember being terrified and thrilled in equal measure by Alan Garner's novels. Set on the edge of the Pennines, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen builds tension from the first line. Two children become enmeshed in a mysterious adventure incorporating local legends, devious residents and portents of doom.

The book is rich with imagery and the language will delight. How about this for a simile: "...thin as a rasher of wind.." Fabulous!

Radio 4 is currently running an excellent play based on The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and I throughly recommend it (although I have to admit that I was utterly petrified in parts.) For anyone interested in public speaking, Phillip Voss's diction is a delight to listen to.

">To listen to the BBC dramatisation

Any 10+ year old will be challenged by this novel. After a diet of watery fiction, this book is a sumptuous feast.

">To see details of The Weirdstone of Brisingamen on Amazon

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