It is the 18th century and the Thames marshes are a dangerous place for children. This is a tale of friendship in a changing world, where the smugglers and criminals still have the upper hand on the community. Yet it is Lizzie, a feisty 10-year-old girl, who is the strongest of all with her amazing spirit of survival, overcoming her fear of the gargoyles to resuce the people from a fire. Her prize is an education in a time when sending girls to school was considered a waste. She becomes the target of many but she has a most unusual hero, a mute gypsy boy, and together they once again rescue the villagers from terror, although it is all their own making. Hot off the press and the reviews are already proving this is a children's novel to notice: "The characters and scenes leap out of the pages through detailed description and beautiful sketched images, that provide a new depth to the story. Courageous Lizzie, scary villain smuggler Sam Smagge and supportive friend Stefan enable children to truly picture these fascinating characters. A must read for children." (Leigh Times) "Classic is not a word to be used casually, but Festival of the Gargoyles is a classic of Essex storytelling. This enchanting tale of a young girl growing up in the days of cut-throat smugglers and revenue men cries out to be filmed. The llustrations add a whole extra level of magic, making this a volume, as well as a story, to cherish." (Southend Echo) "It's a well crafted story that will enthral younger readers and grown ups alike. Robert has a fantastic knack of using just the right language to convey brilliant mental images of the period, and he is obviously perfectly tuned in to Lizzie's life, fears and surroundings. With David's superb and somehow strangely familiar illustrations to support the story, this is a real page turner which will hopefully be just the first instalment in Lizzie's adventures. Highly recommended." (Southend Radio). "Gypsies, wild animals tamed by Lizzie as well as the fearsome gargoyles from the church tower all help to bring atmosphere and excitement to this fascinating tale." An internet reviewer. The book has received many 5 star ratings from readers on Amazon and is book that appeals to all ages as the reviews show.

Auteur
A renowned Essex historian, Robert Hallmann has used his in-depth knowledge of the region to give young readers a true flavour of life in an era when the deadly marsh fever could wipe out entire families, transport was by foot, and only by horse or barge if they had money. It was a time when belief in imps and demons lurking among the mists on the marshes created a real fear in people and caused neighbour to turn on neighbour. Yet it was also a time of great change, as they began to enjoy foreign tastes, listen to the music of Handel and experiment with hot-air balloons. That change came slowly to the countryside, where school and education - especially for girls - was still thought to be quite unnecessary. But Lizzie proves them wrong! Robert is also author of several historical non-fiction books about the Essex region and a fiction title: Essex Ghost Stories; and he was formerly a professional typographer and photographer. It was while researching an Essex organist, who was a protégé of Handel, that Robert was inspired to write 'Festival of the Gargoyles' - his first children's story - in which he uses real historical characters to build up the suspense. I first wrote about Lizzie in a short story which I sent to a children's magazine in America. They'd already printed some of my children's poems and they loved Lizzie and illustrated the story lavishly in their pages, as well as on the cover and the title page. Lizzie had made her first conquest, so I carried on writing and, well, you can read the results now, again lavishly illustrated by an imaginative artist and printed with care and imagination. Lizzie lives in a time quite different from today, but there are also similarities. There are still places in the world where it is thought that girls should not be educated and there are still girls who stand up to the bullies, even if they have to face the grim consequences. I recommend Lizzie to you. Robert Hallmann.