Grim and Grimmer: the headless highwayman Bk1

Ian Irvine (author)

Scholastic, Australia: 2010; 275pp

ISBN: 9781862918580

Issues: ethics, friendship, identity

Genres: adventure, fantasy

Through a mischief not of his making - at least he's pretty sure it wasn't his making - Ike finds himself slipping through a non-existent doorway into another world. A world, what is more, that is at war. The Emajicka, also known as the Fey or Nightmare Queen, is stealing children from the Grimmery for her Collection.

Few in Grimmery understand the true malignancy of her plan or the value of the children that are stolen, beyond that which they have for their families. Cast adrift in a world so very different from his own, Ike finds himself making mistakes that have far greater consequences than they do at home. Unwittingly betraying a princess, determined to rescue her and set his new world to rights, Ike finds himself associating with some very strange people. The Headless Highwaymen and his onion-loving talking horse, Naggerly, for example.

A madcap, fantastical adventure packed with crazy creatures in a world created by a delightful warped imagination, Grim & Grimmer is obviously the first in what gives every indication of being a highly entertaining series. Ike is the archetypal clumsy orphan hero but the usual companions are much more interesting than is so often the case, whilst still fulfilling their narrative roles. Ian Irvine is ‘a marine scientist who decided he wanted to write stories'. Now an experienced writer for children, he has a thorough grasp of not only what makes a good story but also what makes children laugh.