Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella
Cerrie Burnell
(Author)
Laura Ellen Anderson
(Illustrator)
Description
Once there was a girl named Harper who had a rare musical gift. She heard songs on the wind, rhythms on the rain, and hope in the beat of a butterfly's wing. Harper lives in the City of Clouds, an enchanting place where it rains every day and an umbrella is always a good idea. With her Aunt Sassy, her beloved cat, Midnight, and all of her neighbors in the Tall Apartment Block, every day is full of possibility. But when every cat in the city goes missing--including Midnight--Harper is determined to find all of the precious pets. And she'll need a magic, flying umbrella to help in her search. Recruiting friends from her building to help, the magic umbrella whisks them into the sky on the trail of the cats and adventure. They stumble on the Midnight Orchestra--tabbies on triangle, Siamese singing, Persians on piccolo--all under the direction of its fearsome, wild conductor. But can the group use their talents, quick thinking, musical skill, and a little magic to stage a rescue like no other? Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella is a spellbinding tale of friendship, music, and magic featuring a diverse cast, brought to life through stunning illustrations. A perfect book to be shared and treasured.Product Details
Price
$14.99
$13.94
Publisher
Sky Pony
Publish Date
March 21, 2017
Pages
128
Dimensions
5.5 X 8.1 X 0.6 inches | 0.5 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9781510715660
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About the Author
Cerrie Burnell is an author, actor and activist. During her time on CBeebies she broke down barriers, challenged stereotypes and overcome discrimination to become one of the most visible disabled presenters on children's television. She has been listed by The Observer as one of the top ten children's presenters of all time. Cerrie is the author of twelve children's books including her first non-fiction title, I Am Not A Label, Snowflakes, which she adapted for the stage, and the Harper series. She wrote and starred in the play Winged: A Fairytale, as well as creating a one-woman show The Magical Playroom, which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe. In 2017 Cerrie was awarded an honorary degree for Services to Media from the Open University. She is a patron of Polka Theatre and has been an author-in-residence at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Since leaving CBeebies in 2017, Cerrie has appeared on television in Doctors and made the eye-opening documentary Silenced.
When she's not trying to take over the world or fighting sock-stealing monsters, Laura Ellen Anderson is a professional children's book author & illustrator, with an increasing addiction to coffee. She spends every waking hour creating and drawing, and would quite like to live on the moon when humans finally make it possible. Laura is the creator of EVIL EMPEROR PENGUIN and illustrator of WITCH WARS, as well as many other children's books. AMELIA FANG is her first series as author-illustrator.
Reviews
"A wonderful introduction to chapter books, filled with fun illustrations, young readers . . . will enjoy following Harper as she finds adventure at every turn."--Calgary Herald "In this lyrical, action-packed fantasy, Harper is allowed to use her aunt's Scarlet Umbrella and later discovers that her cat is missing. The Scarlet Umbrella has magical powers; it leads her to the homes of others who are missing cats. As Harper works with her friends to find the felines and bring them home, they observe new strengths in one another. Dreamy Liesel, 'with tangled, blonde hair and filthy nails, ' implements plans of action with impressive leadership skills. Liesel's poetic brother, Ferdie, is strong and courageous. Nate, who is visually impaired, assists with his ability to hear incredibly soft sounds and maneuver in the darkness. The kids meet and confront the Wild Conductor, who has enchanted the cats. A chase ensues, with Harper and Nate flying across town in the magical Umbrella. Harper uses her musical gifts to lure the cats back with 'a song of stars and mist and hope. A song that spread across the sky, as if it came from the heavens.' The kids successfully battle the Wild Conductor and bring the cats home. Line drawings throughout depict the smartly dressed and messy characters. Ample action keeps the story accessible for beginning chapter book readers. Originally published in the United Kingdom, this lively tale is sure to win fans in the United States, from cat lovers to music aficionados to fantasy fans. VERDICT: A winning tale of teamwork and artistry. A solid purchase for most chapter book collections." -School Library Journal "This lushly-written, enchanting salute to magic, music and adventure is so intriguing that even this confirmed dog lover was rooting for Harper to be reunited with her beloved cat. I suspect readers of Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella will be left thinking about their own umbrellas in a whole new way." -Nancy Krulik, New York Times bestselling author of Katie Kazoo and Project Droid "Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella is a magical, musical tale that sings with whimsy and charm! There's not a wrong note to be found in this boisterous adventure, as children save the day as only children can. Fantastical, effervescent, and fun!" -Micol Ostow, author of the Louise Trapeze series
