Cold Shoulder Road - Hardcover

Joan Aiken (1924–2004) was an English writer best known for her children’s literature. She wrote 92 novels, including 27 for adults, as well as plays, poems, and short stories. Aiken was born in East Sussex, England. Her father, Conrad Aiken, was a Pulitzer Prize–winning poet. She began writing at a young age, publishing her first short story when she was 17 years old. Before writing full-time, Aiken worked at the United Nations Information Centre as well as the magazine Argosy. It was during this time that she wrote her classic children’s novel The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1962), which won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award and was the first in a 12-book series. Her other titles for younger readers include The Last Slice of Rainbow, The Kitchen Warriors, and Mice and Mendelson. For older readers, her books include the Edgar Award–winning Night Fall, and The Scream. In 1999, Aiken was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to children’s literature. She is survived by her daughter.

Grade 5-9-Fans of Aiken's "Wolves Chronicles" (Doubleday) will welcome this latest installment in the adventures of Is Twite and her cousin Arun, seen most recently in Is Underground (Delacorte, 1993). Although colorful colloquialisms and references to events from past stories may discourage some new readers, those who persevere will be rewarded with a fast-paced story of buried treasure, greedy smugglers, a mysterious religious sect, and a kind of matter- of-fact telepathy. The fanciful, semi-historical setting and large cast of quirky characters add to the story's appeal. Here, the cousins return to Arun's home in search of his mother, only to find that she has disappeared, taking with her a neighbor child. After much searching, a few kidnappings, an explosion, and the uprising of the previously down-trodden villagers, all of the villains are vanquished. The triumph of the underdogs is not without cost, however, for at least one child is dead and many innocent people have suffered. Various loose ends suggest the possibility of a future installment, but whether this book is read independently or as part of the ongoing Twite family saga, it should find an appreciative audience among those who enjoy sophisticated storytelling, inventive adventure, and distinctive characters.?Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
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