Most Popular Books by Chris Riddell

Messenger Barnaby Grimes is delivering packages when a local gang "encourages" him to attend a funeral where he begins to face his deadliest challenges.

Ottoline is back! Ottoline and the Purple Fox is the fourth fantastical Ottoline adventure from 2015–2017 Children''s Laureate and author of the Goth Girl books, Chris Riddell. Ottoline and Mr Munroe love puzzles, clues and mysteries. One day, they meet an enigmatic purple fox, who offers to take them on a night-time urban safari. The fox shows them all the hidden animals of the city and Ottoline makes notes on them in her field notebook. Mr Munroe is making notes too - on the anonymous poems he finds stuck to lampposts on their journey . . . Who is the secretive poet, and how can Mr Monroe and Ottoline help them mend their broken heart? Beautifully and intricately illustrated by the author, the Ottoline series is perfect for curious young readers.

While traveling with her family aboard the S.S. Euphonia, eight-year-old Corby Flood accidentally attracts the murderous attentions of five men, clad in bowler hats, called the Brotherhood of the Clowns as she investigates the mysterious singing coming from the ship''s hold.

Quint finally begins his training at the Knights Academy, Maris adjusts to life in Undertown, and Sanctaphrax shivers in anticipation of a legendary storm, while a storm of a different kind brews between sky-scholars and earth-scholars.

Full of adventure and humour, Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse is the beautifully illustrated winner of the Costa Award – presented here in a gorgeous hardcover. From Chris Riddell, author of the Ottoline series, it is perfect for fans of Howl''s Moving Castle and Netflix''s Wednesday. Ada Goth is the only child of Lord Goth. The two live together in the enormous Ghastly-Gorm Hall. Lord Goth believes that children should be heard and not seen, so Ada has to wear large clumpy boots so that he can always hear her coming. This makes it hard for her to make friends and, if she''s honest, she''s rather lonely. Then one day William and Emily Cabbage come to stay at the house, and together with a ghostly mouse called Ishmael they and Ada begin to unravel a dastardly plot that Maltravers, the mysterious indoor gamekeeper, is hatching. Ada and her friends must work together to foil Maltravers before it''s too late! Though they can be enjoyed in any order, continue this deliciously dark series with Goth Girl and the Fete Worse Than Death and Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright.

Tiggy Thistle and the Lost Guardians is the second and final title in The Cloud Horse Chronicles duology, the exciting magical adventure from the Costa Award-winning creator of Goth Girl and 2015–2017 UK Children''s Laureate Chris Riddell. The Guardians of Magic disappeared ten years ago, leaving the Kingdom of Thrynne in the icy grip of a powerful sorceress. Most people have fled in desperate search of warmer lands, escaping the Ice Monsters that roam the streets. Meanwhile, young Tiggy Thistle lives hidden and safe with a kindly Badger until the day she meets one of the crafty Stiltskin brothers and she has to run from her happy home. So begins Tiggy''s quest to find Zam, Phoebe and Bathsheba – the lost Guardians and their beautiful Cloud Horses – the only people, she believes, who can save Thrynne from the curse of endless winter.

Seventeen-year-old Micah enters the wyrmeweald in order to steal a wyrme egg and make his fortune, but Micah soon finds himself in danger and must prove his worth, with help from a tracker named Eli and an assassin named Thrace.

In this story, Barnaby is attacked by an enormous dog. He kills it, but then he finds himself swept up in a world of crooked doctors, poor and ill-advised patients, and very expensive furs.

The third charming and irresistible Ottoline adventure from award-winning creator Chris Riddell. Ottoline and Mr. Munroe do everything and go everywhere together. That is, until the day Mr. Munroe mysteriously disappears, leaving a strange clue written in string... Armed with her Amateur Roving Collectors'' travel pass, Ottoline sets off on a journey over, under and on top of the sea to find her hairy best friend--and bring him back home. Ottoline at Sea is the third enchanting book in the series by former UK Children''s Laureate Chris Riddell. With his appealing illustration style, Riddell''s humorous details make this a book to pore over and adore.

THE TWIG TRILOGY, Book II Sixteen-year-old Twig is eager to begin his new life as a sky pirate on board the famous Stormchaser. The crew''s quest: to collect stormphrax—the precious, magical substance formed at the heart of a storm—in order to save the floating city of Sanctaphrax. Only a sky ship as powerful as the Stormchaser, piloted by a man as fearless as Cloud Wolf, could risk entering such a storm. . . .

Filled with Riddell''s signature wit, this second volume in the atmospheric, delightfully illustrated capers of Ottoline Brown is a tribute to the joys of friendship, mysteries, and shared adventures. Illustrations.

The most High Emperor of the Universe (Billy''s baby brother, Silas) is in great danger. The Blobheads must protect him from the wickedest monster in all creation - a huge creature with twenty-six arms, eight glowing eyes and vile breath, known only as Sandra. And Sandra is a master of disguise.

In the great floating city of Sanctaphrax, blizzards howl through the streets as the Edgeworld descends into an endless winter. Quint, the son of a sky pirate, has just begun his training at the Knights Academy—training that involves heading out over the Edge on tethers to develop his flying skills. But when Quint breaks the rules and heads out to Open Sky on his own, he runs into the great sky leviathans known as cloud-eaters and must use all his skill and ingenuity if catastrophe is not to strike the Edgeworld. . . .

People are flocking to Ghastly-Gorm Hall from far and wide to compete in Lord Goth''s Literary Dog Show. The esteemed judges are in place and the contestants are all ready to win. Sir Walter Splott is preparing his Lanarkshire Lurcher, Plain Austen is preening her Hampshire Hound and Homily Dickinson and her Yankee Poodle are raring to go. But there''s something strange going on at Ghastly-Gorm--mysterious footprints, howls in the night and some suspiciously chewed shoes. Can Ada, the Attic Club and their new friends the Vicarage sisters (Charlotte, Emily and Anne) work out what''s going on before the next full moon?

A young knight librarian tries to stop the dark might of oily Vox Verlix from taking over power in Edgeworld.

THE ROOK TRILOGY, Book I Rook Barkwater lives in the network of sewer chambers beneath Undertown, the bustling main city of the Edgeworld. He dreams of becoming a librarian knight—one of those sent out to explore the mysteries of their world. Somewhere out there lie the secrets of the past—including the lost floating city of Sanctaphrax—and, maybe, hope for a future free from the fear of tyranny. When his chance comes, Rook grabs it! Breaking all the rules, he sets out on a journey to the Free Glades and beyond. His luck and determination lead him from one peril to another until, buried in the heart of the Deepwoods, Rock encounters a mysterious character—the last sky pirate—and is thrust into a bold adventure that dares to challenge the might of the dreaded Guardians of the night. . . .

There are musical goings-on and a mystery for Ada to solve in Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony, the fourth beautifully illustrated adventure in the series from Chris Riddell, 2015–2017 Children''s Laureate and author of the Ottoline books. Lord Goth is throwing a music festival at Ghastly-Gorm Hall, with performances from the finest composers in the land. Ada can''t wait, but it''s quite distracting when her grandmother is trying to find her father a fashionable new wife. And there''s a faun living in her wardrobe. Worst of all, Maltravers is up to his old tricks and Ada must make sure everything goes to plan. Luckily, help is at hand – from a very interesting house guest . . . For more in the deliciously dark series, check out the first book and winner of the Costa Children''s Book Award, Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse.

A flurry of festive verse, We Wish You A Merry Christmas and Other Festive Poems is a collection selected and intricately, beautifully illustrated by Chris Riddell, the beloved author and illustrator behind Goth Girl, Ottoline and the Cloud Horse Chronicles. Christmas has long been a source of inspiration and a moment of reflection for poets, from traditional verse to modern works. This is the perfect collection for readers young and old, as gorgeous illustrations throughout bring new life to classics, including The Night Before Christmas, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Deck the Halls, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and We Three Kings. Elsewhere, Chris has selected and responded to work from poets including Neil Gaiman, Sylvia Plath, William Wordsworth, Thomas Hardy, Hollie McNish, Sue Hardy Dawson, Roger Stevens, Benjamin Zephaniah, Clare Bevan, Sara Teasdale, A.F. Harrold, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Ogden Nash, Robert Burns and Jackie Kay. This is a book to treasure, and to return to year after year. ''A touching book for getting into the spirit, with poems familiar and less so about the meaning of Christmas, and each page graced with Riddell’s pencil scenes'' – Sunday Times

THE TWIG TRILOGY, Book I When thirteen-year-old Twig discovers that he was abandoned at birth by an unknown outsider, he leaves his woodtroll family behind and sets off on a journey through and beyond the dangerous Deepwoods. As he makes his way through a nightmarish world of goblins and trogs, bloodthirsty beasts and flesh-eating trees, only two things keep Twig going: the mystery of his identity and the promise of a heroic destiny. . . .

The newest paperback installment in the exciting Edge Chronicles! Rook Barkwater lives in the network of sewer-chambers beneath Undertown, the bustling main city of the Edgeworld. He dreams of becoming a librarian knight—one of those sent out to explore the mysteries of their world. When his chance comes, Rook grabs it! Breaking all the rules, he sets out on a journey to the Free Glades and beyond. His luck and determination lead him from one peril to another until, buried in the heart of the Deepwoods, Rook encounters a mysterious character and is thrust into a bold adventure that dares to challenge the might of the Guardians of the Night. . . .

A classic picture-book edition of My Little Book of Big Freedomsillustrated by Waterstones Children''s Laureate Chris Riddell, published in partnership with Amnesty International UK. We all want a good life, to have fun, to be safe, happy and fulfilled. For this to happen, we need to look after each other and stand up for the basic human rights that we often take for granted. This book features 16 different freedoms, each accompanied by beautiful illustrations. It shows why our human rights are so important - they help to keep us safe. Every day. Featuring a stunning new cover and full-colour artwork for the first time.

THE TWIG TRILOGY, Book III Out in the open sky, a ferocious storm threatens the magnificent floating city of Sanctaphrax. Only Twig, who has dared to sail over the Edge, knows of the approaching danger. But before he can return home, his sky ship is destroyed, scattering his crew across the world and robbing him of all memory. Without Twig, will the Edge be lost forever?

The second magical, funny, and fabulously illustrated story in the Far Flung Adventures from the authors of Fergus Crane and the Edge Chronicles. Corby Flood and her family are about to set sail on the rather ramshackle cruise ship, the S.S. Euphonia. Her boisterous brothers might not have noticed that anything is wrong, but Corby is highly observant and has a lot of time for note-taking and eavesdropping. Onboard, among the odd passengers and eccentric crew, there is a strange group of men in bowler-hats who call themselves The Brotherhood of Clowns. There''s also a melancholy wailing sound coming from the hold. It''s strictly out of bounds but Corby can''t help investigating. What could be inside the crate she discovers down in the hold? As the ship arrives at its destination, Corby must enlist the help of some very well mustachioed locals to uncover the contents of the crate and the dark secrets of the menacing Clowns...

Relates the story of Quint, Twig''s father, who, as a teenager journeyed to the sky-city of Sanctaphrax to assist the High Academe and his daughter with an experiment in which they unwittingly release a powerful and deadly force known as the gloamglozer.

Quint is travelling with his father, Wind Jackal, on a mission to track down and bring to justice Turbot Smeal, the man who started the fire that killed their family. Wind Jackal is consumed by his desire to capture Smeal - and his judgement is flawed. His actions endangers the lives of his crew - and his son.

Fleeing from the ruins of New Undertown, young librarian knight Rook Barkwater and his colleagues – Felix Lodd and his banderbear friends – must lead the escaping population to a new life in the Free Glades. But perils aplenty are ahead for the crowd, and Rook knows the journey will be full of danger. Meanwhile, in the Goblin Nations, the tribes are amassing for war. Will Rook be able to keep his friends, himself and their new lives safe? Freeglader is the third book of the Rook Saga – third trilogy in The Edge Chronicles, the internationally best-selling fantasy series, which has featured on the UK and the New York Times best-seller lists and sold more than 3 million copies. There are now 13 titles and four trilogies in the series, but each book is a stand-alone adventure, so you can read The Edge Chronicles in any order you choose.

There''s all sorts of fun, such as sailing to an island and singing and dancing with monkeys, when the walrus comes to visit.

The first in a series of stories about the fantastical adventures of a mercenary knight by the best-selling creators of THE EDGE CHRONICLES