I, Coriander

Coriander Hobie, born in 1643, has a remarkable tale to tell -- the tale of a childhood touched by unexplained bits of wonder, but too soon marked by tragedy. After her beloved mother dies and her father is forced to flee London, Coriander is left at the mercy of a stepmother full of cruelty. In the very nick of time, Coriander finds that she has somehow managed to transport herself to a land of fairies, and there she discovers what she has always suspected: that her mother was from a more magical world than grimy old London. And that she herself has inherited some of her mother's mysterious abilities -- abilities that she now has a desperate need to master.

Be prepared to be swept away by atmospheric writing that casts a lasting spell. Sally Gardner's prose is exquisitely beautiful and her story and characters enthralling. She has written a rare and glorious book.